Great and Powerful Trixie in the Exordium under the Pyramids | MLP FIM

"UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOO..."

The sinister wail echoed once more, reverberating from the depths of the great atrium in Twilight's castle, like an echo emanating from the very bowels of darkness itself.

Right there, the black armors, which had once stood menacingly, now lay scattered across the floor, inert like puppets whose strings had been cut. Yet, amidst this image of a fallen army, a new and ominous threat began to take shape.

A repulsive light, a burning emerald hue, started to spread like a voracious fire, leaping from one spot to another, consuming rocks and the remnants of the armors. The green flames burst into spectral spirals, distorting the air around them, but they gave off no heat. Instead, a cold and nauseating wind accompanied this profane fire, filling the air with a rancid miasma. Columns of smoke rose, momentarily taking the shape of spectral claws that seemed to scrape at the sky.

And in the midst of this atmosphere, charged with vile magic, something even more terrifying manifested.

A liquid darkness, akin to black ink, began seeping through the floor, dense and milky, sliding with unsettling speed out of the cracks in the castle's main door. It resembled a malignant fungus that corroded everything in its path. The black liquid grew in volume, turning into a noxious torrent that devoured the doors, making them creak and shatter like soaked cardboard. The remains of the ruined entrance dissolved into the blackness, along with an aberrant mass that seemed to have been expelled from an unknown dimension.

Where the castle doors once stood, a triangular portal had materialized, emitting a painful orange glow from its inverted position. The dimensional opening, as disconcerting as it was threatening, vanished as quickly as it had appeared, dropping the castle's rubble and sealing that potential escape route for good.

With the portal closed and the invading entity now within the castle, the darkness became aware of its mission. Its numerous black tendrils rose skyward, exhaling a corruption that spread all around like an arcane plague.

Midnight would not last forever; every second counted. With its arcane power unleashed, the monstrosity surveyed its surroundings. Its dark senses soon locked onto the presence it sought.

"Trixie... Lulamoon," the entity whispered in a bubbling, serpentine voice that dissolved into the crackling of the emerald-green flames rising around it. Slowly, accompanied by a palpable terror, the dark creature began its inexorable advance toward its objective.

[---]

Had it spoken her name? Trixie wasn't sure. Among the distorted, guttural sounds emerging from the depths of the atrium, it was difficult to discern anything clearly.

Lost in thought, Trixie tore her gaze away from the horror unfolding below. A continuous shiver coursed through her body. Her overwhelmed mind had already decided to go on strike. It refused to process any more information and instead resorted to conjuring absurd and irrelevant thoughts in a desperate attempt to preserve her sanity. Proof of this was the sudden craving the unicorn felt—for waffles.

"Waffles…" Trixie murmured with a smile, imagining the taste of honey on her lips as the shadows cast by the emerald light danced wildly around her.

On the railing overlooking the castle's lower floor, Ocellus had been joined by the rest of her friends, who immediately fell into the same stupor as she had.

Seeing their anguished and almost comical expressions, Trixie suddenly thought of telling a joke about snails and scissors to lift their spirits. But just as she was about to speak, she stopped. She'd need a podium and a jar of glue to really sell it.

"And now…?" Sandbar asked, his voice sounding lost in the tense atmosphere.

"I don't know," Trixie replied without thinking, her tone ridiculously carefree. She shrugged and glanced down at her hooves, idly admiring the polish she'd used on them. But as her gaze flicked back to the darkened, desolate faces of her students, a spark of lucidity flashed in her mind. Realizing her slip, she quickly slapped herself with her right hoof, snapping herself out of the stupor that had overtaken her.

"GET A GRIP, TRIXIE!" her inner voice screamed.

Refocused and now sporting a faint bruise on one cheek, she turned to the Young Six.

"Now's not the time for questions! Run!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

And indeed, it was time to run.

The ominous "UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOO…" echoed behind Trixie and the Young Six as they dashed toward the stairs. They ran in silence, fully aware of the danger looming over them. None of them looked back or to the sides, keeping their eyes fixed on the path lit by the glow of Trixie's horn, focused solely on the single route to safety. As they climbed the steps, their hearts pounded fiercely, and what would normally have been a simple ascent now felt like an endless torture in the oppressive darkness. They pushed aside rocks and debris under their hooves, advancing without stumbling, until they finally reached the upper level.

There, the emerald flames greeted them with an even more intense glow, as if the terror they had left behind was pursuing them with greater determination than their own urgency to escape.

In sight. Across the atrium, the green door to the balcony stood before them, the only hope of escape. So close, so visible… yet still so far away.

Suddenly, the echo of "UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUOOOOOOOOOO…" rang out again, forcing them to halt. Something was rising in their path.

Like reanimated corpses, the black armors began to stand once more. They wobbled and moved disjointedly at first, but they were slowly regaining functionality, ready to resume the mission that had brought them back to life.

One of them, wielding an enormous axe, opened its hollow eyes and fixed its gaze on its target.

But it did nothing else.

Before it could react, Trixie swung a hefty blow directly at its head. The helmet flew off, sailing toward the depths of the atrium and vanishing into the emerald flames, while the metallic body collapsed into pieces, lifeless once more.

"For Trixie! For Starlight!" Trixie shouted defiantly, her voice echoing across the atrium as she pressed her attack.

The Young Six weren't far behind.

"For Equestria! For the Hive!" roared Ocellus, transforming into a colossal creature, part bull and part serpent. She charged forward with fury, delivering powerful blows to the remaining armors. Inspired by her, the others shouted their own battle cries and threw themselves into the fray, determined to carve a path through.

They advanced, inch by inch, in a desperate bid to break through the metallic soldiers blocking their way.

At the front, Trixie led the offensive, swinging her club with force as the others kept up with her pace. The black armors, clumsy and still adjusting to their reactivation, could barely counter the ferocious assault. Beside her, Ocellus lashed out with her serpent tail, toppling enemies in a single sweep. Above them, Silverstream and Gallus flew with agility, wielding weapons salvaged from fallen armors, striking precisely at the heads of their foes from the air. In the rear, Smolder and Yona launched devastating combined attacks: fireballs and massive boulders that kept at bay the armors attempting to flank them.

Amid them all was Sandbar, limited by his wheelchair but never losing sight of the battlefield.

"Duck!" he suddenly yelled, his voice sharp with urgency.

Gallus and Smolder barely had time to react. Spears hurtled in their direction, but thanks to Sandbar's warning, they dove to the ground just in time. In a flash, Smolder countered, hurling two fireballs that struck their attackers dead-on, causing them to explode alongside several nearby armors.

"That was close," Gallus muttered, shaking off a few feathers ruffled on his shoulder.

"And this is even closer!" Sandbar exclaimed, pointing urgently upward.

The ceiling above them groaned, threatening to collapse. Without hesitation, the group moved swiftly, advancing a few meters just as a deafening crash shook the castle. The upper level's ceiling caved in behind them, sending a cloud of dust and debris into the air.

And from within the rubble, a towering figure emerged.

A metallic growl filled the air, deeper and more menacing than the sound of falling stones. Before them stood a golden manticore, forged entirely of metal, majestic and deadly. Unlike the armors they had been battling, this steel beast was enormous, its eyes glowing with an unyielding fire.

With a deafening roar, the creature charged toward them, lifting a colossal shield it wielded like a battering ram. As it advanced, it shoved aside the black armors, crushing them with unstoppable brutality.

The onslaught was devastating. The gigantic shield descended toward them with a force capable of obliterating them in a single blow.

In that moment, only one among them could face it.

"Enemy not hurt friends!" bellowed Yona, rearing her powerful front hooves into the air and slamming them down with a force that echoed throughout the castle. Snorting intensely, the young yak charged fearlessly at the golden manticore, leaving her friends no time to stop her.

The manticore's shield collided with Yona's mighty headbutt. The impact was like an explosion in the heart of the castle, shaking the entire structure. Trixie, Ocellus, Silverstream, and Gallus, who were still fighting the armors, turned back, stunned by the thunderous clash.

The scene was breathtaking: after a brief flash, the solid shield of the golden manticore appeared dented, and the metallic beast, unable to withstand the force of Yona's counterattack, was thrown backward. The creature staggered before finally collapsing onto its back, crushing several armors beneath its weight and destroying them in its fall.

The ground beneath the manticore quickly began to crack, and with one last tremor, it gave way. The castle floor crumbled, swallowing the enormous golden armor and the surrounding metal soldiers into a chasm of dust and rubble.

The threat was defeated... but Yona, standing victorious, was not unharmed.

A few seconds after the ground gave way, Yona collapsed beside her friends, utterly exhausted.

"Yona!" Sandbar shouted, his voice filled with distress as he rushed toward her. Smolder and Silverstream were close behind. Sandbar cradled his friend's heavy head, tears welling in his eyes, his heart pounding with fear.

"Yona! Please, answer me! Please!" Sandbar pleaded. Silverstream, trembling, pulled out a bottle of water and soaked a towel. Smolder grabbed it immediately and gently wiped Yona's face, desperately hoping for a response.

After several long and painful seconds of uncertainty, the beloved yak began to stir. Her eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Did Yona defeat enemy? Are friends okay?" murmured Yona, weak but conscious.

"Yes! Yes, Yona defeated the enemy! Friends are okay!" Sandbar replied, nearly crying with relief. Without hesitation, he hugged her tightly. Silverstream and Smolder let out deep sighs of relief, as if their own spirits had returned to their bodies upon seeing Yona awaken.

Yona struggled to her feet, wobbling slightly but regaining her focus. Gently, she pushed Sandbar aside and shook off the rocks and dust covering her. A large bump protruded from her forehead, but no one paid it any attention. All were captivated by the familiar, radiant smile that, despite everything, had returned to light up the yak's face.

"Yona is okay, friends too… This was a great victory! Yes!" Yona exclaimed joyfully, wrapping Sandbar and the others in a characteristic, exuberant hug. However, her expression suddenly changed.

"Wait!" she shouted, alarmed.

"What's wrong?" Sandbar, Silverstream, and Smolder asked in unison, startled.

"Friend Sandbar… is walking!" Yona exclaimed, completely shocked to see him on his hooves.

"I… I think I am," Sandbar replied, looking down at his legs as if seeing them for the first time. Moments earlier, he had leapt from his wheelchair to help Yona, and now, incredibly, he was standing, all four limbs functioning as though he had never been injured.

"It's a miracle!" Silverstream squealed, throwing her arms around him.

"A very convenient miracle," Smolder muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Does the magic of friendship heal fractures now? Or could you walk this whole time?" she added, eyeing the slight tremor in Sandbar's hind leg.

"I… I don't know. Maybe…" Sandbar said, trying to maintain a smile despite his visible confusion.

While Yona and Silverstream celebrated, pulling Smolder into their excitement, a sharp voice cut through their moment of joy.

"Ah, yes, wonderful. Truly. But… could we all snap back to reality, please?" said Gallus, appearing with a serious expression that immediately snuffed out the festive atmosphere.

Suddenly, the four Young Six became acutely aware of the eerie calm surrounding them. They glanced around, and what they saw left them breathless.

They were isolated within a small magical barrier. Beyond it, chaos reigned. Rocks rained down from the ceiling, arrows flew from every direction, and an army of black armors relentlessly attacked the barrier at the far end of the atrium, near the door leading to the balcony.

The only thing keeping them safe was the barrier. More specifically, the magic of Trixie and… Starlight?

Silverstream was the first to react.

"Headmare Starlight!" she cried, her voice trembling with emotion. Beside her, the rest of her friends shared her expression of astonishment.

But the supposed Headmare of the School of Friendship didn't respond. Instead, she remained silent, channeling magic alongside Trixie. Both, holding hooves and deeply focused, struggled to maintain the barrier.

Gallus, ignoring his friends' shock, rolled his eyes and addressed the so-called "Starlight."

"Ocellus, Yona is fine, and Sandbar can walk now," he said flatly.

"I'm glad… really glad," Ocellus replied with an exhausted sigh, sweat dripping from her forehead. "You should be glad too, Gallus."

"I am, I really am..." Gallus replied, lowering his head to hide the emotions threatening to surface.

It took a few seconds for them to piece it together, but the truth became clear. The unicorn standing before them, casting the spell to protect them, wasn't Starlight Glimmer. It was Ocellus. Seconds after Yona collapsed and her friends abandoned their defensive positions to aid her, Ocellus, in an act of desperation and brilliance, had transformed into the Headmare. Working quickly with Trixie—who nearly fainted from shock—they had deployed the barrier now keeping them safe.

But outside that barrier, the many threats continued to press harder and harder.

Sweat on Ocellus's and Trixie's foreheads glistened more visibly. Despite the intense glow of their magic, it was clear they couldn't hold out much longer.

Gallus noticed this and took a deep breath, bracing himself for the inevitable resumption of battle.

"UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUOOOOOOO..." The roar echoed again, louder and closer this time, rising from the depths of the atrium.

Gallus cursed silently. He didn't need to approach the railing to know what was happening. Whatever was climbing up through the grand atrium of Twilight's castle was far closer than he would have liked.

It was all or nothing. His gaze locked on the green door to the balcony, just a few meters beyond the army of armors blocking the way.

Recalling Ocellus's earlier words about the atrium's layout, Gallus steeled his resolve.

"We can do this!" Gallus exclaimed, turning to his companions. "It's just a few meters. Yona will take the lead, Smolder and I will flank the sides. Ocellus and Trixie stay in the center. The rest of you cover the rear. If someone falls, the one behind will pick them up and take their place. We're all getting out of here!" His firm, commanding voice left no room for doubt. Everyone nodded as he finished, immediately moving into formation.

"Yona is ready!" the young yak shouted with determination, planting herself firmly at the front of the group. Her friends looked at her with admiration, seeing her as a solid and impenetrable shield. Yona, defiant, kept her eyes fixed on the imposing armors beyond the magical barrier, feeling the weight of her friends' trust on her shoulders.

But not everyone shared that confidence. From further back, Sandbar watched her with concern, his eyes lingering on the massive bump now adorning his friend's head.

Gallus, on the other hand, wasn't watching Yona or Sandbar. He was scanning everyone, the entire scene, as though trying to catch something just beyond his grasp. He knew the time had come. Everyone seemed ready to advance. Or at least, it appeared that way.

And so, as the words he needed to say formed in his mind, Gallus hesitated.

To the young griffon's eyes, the world seemed to slow. The noises faded. Beyond the barrier, the black armors continued their relentless assault—a storm of swords, axes, arrows, and spears. The army of steel, cold and merciless, appeared unyielding.

("Can we really get through this?") The doubt crept into his mind like a shadow. ("Can we face those enemies without losing anyone?")

The fear he had suppressed all this time erupted with fury, consuming him entirely.

("What a huge fraud I am…") he thought, feeling guilt gnaw at him.

Throughout the day, Gallus had tried to appear confident, responsible, as if everything was under control. He wanted his friends to see him as a leader, someone they could trust. But the truth was far from that. After the attack of the orchid-octopuses at the school, he had sworn to everyone that he would find the culprit, that things would go back to the way they were before.

("Nothing will ever be the same again...") he reflected during the long nights of insomnia. The memories of his fight against the corrupted Sandbar haunted him—the violence of that battle, his claws stained… It had left an invisible scar that wouldn't heal, a wound that bled every time he closed his eyes.

Gallus had concluded that he needed to be stronger. That he could never appear weak again. That he had to be relentless to prevent his friends from suffering once more. But in his effort to find a solution, he had isolated himself, trapped in his own judgment. He repeated over and over that he had to protect them, that he couldn't fail.

Then, Trixie returned. Smiling, carefree, as if nothing she had done mattered. It was in that exact moment that something inside Gallus shattered. The sense of justice that had driven him crumbled, giving way to resentment.

Fueled by bitterness, he flew straight to Chancellor Neighsay's office, where he began to plot his revenge.

A path that, in the end, led him to be one of the instigators of the unfortunate events unfolding that day.

Despite it all, he never imagined things would spiral so far out of control.

Now, faced with the looming disaster, all the anguish and effort seemed meaningless. What had all that suffering been for? In the end, he was just an ordinary griffon, with a wounded heart hidden behind a mask of strength. He had betrayed the lessons of friendship he held dear, allowing fear to consume him.

("I'm scared... so scared...") he thought, trembling as the emerald flames danced nearby, reflecting the doom that seemed inevitable.

Gallus clenched his jaw, overwhelmed by despair, cursing himself for being so cruel to Trixie all day. But in the midst of his torment, a voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"Gallus..." a familiar voice whispered. It was like a lifeline thrown to him in the midst of his turmoil.

He turned his head, and there was Sandbar—the friend for whom he had suffered and felt so much guilt. Sandbar looked at him with an expression radiating all the confidence Gallus so desperately needed.

"We're ready..." Sandbar said softly, unaware of the storm of emotions raging within the griffon. Gallus averted his gaze, unable to face that truth any longer.

He was right. They were all ready. All of them—except him.

Gallus closed his eyes for a moment, trying to extinguish the anger burning in his chest. He couldn't afford to fail. He had to be stronger than this…

No. He needed to be ready like the rest, and he would be. His friends were counting on him.

Little by little, the shadow of doubt clouding his mind began to lift, like a ghost fading at dawn. Gallus grounded himself back in reality. It was time to act.

Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind.

("Please… don't let things get worse...") he prayed, though he knew griffons, himself included, didn't typically believe in prayers. Yet as he finished the thought, a wave of relief washed over him. He felt… free.

His spirit, though still wounded, seemed to regain a spark of strength. Gallus was still broken, but somehow, he felt he could fly again. Could it be that all he needed was a prayer?

There was no time to ponder. He had to move forward.

"Ocellus, lower it," he ordered finally, his voice firm and renewed. The magical light from Ocellus and Trixie began to flicker, signaling the imminent collapse of the barrier protecting them.

Expectations were at their peak. Everyone was ready. But then…

Out of the corner of her eye, just as she was about to release the barrier, Trixie noticed something.

"Stopppp!" the unicorn suddenly screeched, her voice cracking like a strangled hen. "Look!"

A flash of violet light erupted around them, followed by a swirl of colors that dissolved into an even brighter glow. For a moment, Gallus dared to think that perhaps—just perhaps—his prayers had been answered.

[---]

Twilight's castle, born from a seed-chest, was not just a castle with a peculiar design compared to any other princess's castle in Equestria. It was much more than that.

Twilight, its owner, initially had no idea about the unique nature of her new home, though she suspected it. It wasn't until much later that she began to uncover just how special the castle she had been given truly was.

Hidden within its illogical yet majestic proportions, it was obvious that the castle was magical. But what no one knew—not even Twilight—was that it was also… alive. It had a consciousness.

Since its creation, the castle had borne witness to the comings and goings of the princess and her friends. It had seen their joys, their sorrows, their moments of leisure, and their challenges. Through it all, it had learned much from them: about how they cared for one another, about the kindness that defined them, and most of all, about the strength of the friendship that bound them together.

Precisely because of all these observations and reflections, the castle had made a firm decision: it would never make direct contact with Twilight.

It wasn't that it didn't want to. In fact, on more than one occasion, it had longed to talk to her, to share thoughts, to be her friend. But the idea of encountering someone who shared its voice, its astral spirit, and its logic was... unsettling.

Not to mention the inevitable and unpredictable interactions it would have with the princess's friends.

The mere thought of what Pinkie Pie might do to its delicate interior if she discovered it also had birthdays... was terrifying.

The castle thought in a manner very similar to Twilight, and perhaps for that reason alone, it had decided to follow the "dark forest" policy: staying in the shadows, observing from afar, without interfering.

Of course, this conduct wasn't absolute in every case. There had been times when it was forced to intervene.

Like that time in the kitchen, when an accident nearly caused a fire because of Spike, who was trying to bake a dragon volcanic cake. The castle had no choice but to break the pipes in the ceiling to extinguish the flames. Though it was painful to its structure, it was enough to prevent a much greater disaster.

Another key moment was when a small and troubled pegasus, a student of Twilight, began sneaking into the castle at night. This put the castle on high alert. With few options, it decided to contact the Young Six, trusting that they could handle the situation.

That decision was both risky and exhilarating for the castle, as the Young Six were the first to discover its true nature. At first, it wasn't sure how they would react to its guidance, but fortunately, the young ones managed to address the issue, bringing Twilight's rebellious student under control (with a little extra help). After that incident, those same youths helped the castle reconnect to the magical matrix from which it originated, allowing the Tree of Harmony to be revived and its physical form to expand.

It owed much to those young ones.

And for that very reason, despite the limitations that kept it trapped on this fateful day, the castle was determined to do everything within its power to save them.

[---]

The tremor resonated throughout the castle, as though the very foundations of the structure were fracturing under an unknown force. From deep within, a purple flame coursed through its frame, illuminating every corner with bursts of light that exploded like stars in a shifting void. The floor, the walls, and the ceiling surrounding the Young Six and Trixie glowed intensely until everything faded into profound darkness. But this wasn't the oppressive shadow that had tried to smother their hope; it was a familiar darkness, akin to a starry night bathed in the gentle glow of a violet moon.

The seconds following the blinding light stretched endlessly. Though their eyes were open, the young ones and Trixie could hardly believe what they were seeing. The walls around them had transformed into a cosmic horizon, vibrant and alive, while a shimmering mist enveloped the space. What had once been a grand atrium now seemed suspended in an ethereal world, where the faint glow of the real world still flickered in the upper floors.

But it wasn't just the sight that left them breathless. From the walls veiled in crystalline arches, doors that had been sealed until now began to open one after another. A powerful gust surged from each, dragging the black armors into the dark abyss that now occupied the bottom of the atrium. The armors fell like stones, crashing against the crystal floor where earlier a shadow wreathed in emerald flames had tried to ascend.

"What the hay?!" Smolder exclaimed, gripping the railing as she stared in disbelief at the unfolding chaos. She wasn't alone; the rest of the group stood equally stunned. The magical barrier that had protected them was gone, and with the fall of the armors, the immediate threat seemed to have subsided.

As more armors plummeted from the upper floors, the group remained confused, unable to make sense of the sudden shift. Then, a brilliant light emerged from the far side of the atrium, drawing a horizontal line through the air with a dazzling glow. Before their eyes, a new level of the castle unfolded, rising one floor above them. A ribbon of light descended and merged with the floor beneath their hooves, blending seamlessly into the crystal as though the castle itself were calling to them.

The doors around the atrium began to turn like gears, rotating slowly until everything clicked into place. At the far end of the luminous bridge that had formed, the green door stood—the one that led to the balcony.

It was the most the castle could do for the unfortunate youths. With its last reserves of strength, it had managed to materialize the only path to freedom. After that, the castle's consciousness faded, leaving them alone to face their fate.

"KROPPPPPPP, KROPPPPPPP, KROPPPPPPP," the pounding echoed around them, reverberating as if a giant were trying to break through from the depths. The sound made the floor tremble beneath their hooves, each blow more violent than the last.

Trixie, already overwhelmed by the series of events and unable to process everything, had only two thoughts in her mind. The first: why did the castle's new appearance feel so familiar? And the second:

"Cross the bridge! Now!" she shouted without hesitation, not waiting for anyone's opinion.

This was their last chance. In a frantic dash for salvation, the Young Six charged across the bridge, sprinting toward the other side of the atrium.

Yona led the way, with Sandbar riding on her back. Silverstream followed closely behind, skillfully deflecting arrows with her frying pan as Smolder did the same with a shield she had picked up from the ground. Further back, Gallus and Ocellus fought off the black armors, which desperately hurled themselves from the upper floors to block their path.

"What are you doing?! Stop fighting and run!" Trixie yelled, wielding a mace as she faced off against three armors at once.

"But—!" Gallus tried to argue, watching as more armors rained down on them with every passing second.

"Don't be fools, RUN!" Trixie bellowed, furious, using her magic to shove them forward. She raised a magical shield, separating the bridge from the armors and blocking their advance.

"KROPPPPPPP, KROPPPPPPP," the pounding from the depths of the atrium grew more violent, and emerald cracks began to spread through the darkness.

The floor beneath their hooves was cracking as well.

"We can't—!" Ocellus started, but Gallus didn't wait. With cold resolve, he noticed the cracks spreading toward the bridge that had only just appeared for them. Without a second thought, he scooped Ocellus onto his back in one swift motion.

"No, wait, Gallus! Put me down!" Ocellus protested, struggling to break free, but she was too exhausted to succeed.

Without another word, without a farewell, Gallus sprinted across the bridge, leaving Trixie alone at the rear.

"Well done, hard head," Trixie muttered, relieved to see the young griffon make the right decision. But her relief was short-lived. As she glanced back, the armors continued to pile up, menacingly closing in.

Was this really a good idea?

More and more armors fell, stacking around her. Trixie leaped backward, narrowly avoiding the brutal swing of an axe that had pierced through her barrier. She could hardly take her eyes off her enemies—her magic was the only thing keeping her alive. If she hesitated for even a second, she knew it would all be over.

How much magic do I have left? she wondered, feeling her energy rapidly depleting.

The air thickened around her, her breathing became erratic. The burning on her forehead was unbearable, sweat soaking her body. Not even during her most challenging circus acts had she felt such crushing pressure.

"KROPPP!" A thunderous blow shook the floor, breaking her concentration. Huge chunks of stone fell from the upper levels, crushing the armors charging toward her. The clash of metal and stone echoed throughout the atrium. A flying sword swiped her hat before vanishing into the darkness below. With her mane disheveled and her body exhausted, Trixie seized the opportunity to run toward the bridge—their only way out.

Save my life... Save my life? she thought as she ran. A spark of an idea flickered deep in her mind.

At the other end of the bridge, the Young Six had already reached the balcony door, shouting at her to hurry. But when Trixie looked at them, her steps slowed. Gradually... she stopped.

"What is she doing?" Gallus exclaimed, incredulous. Ocellus, equally baffled, could only watch in silence.

Trixie stood motionless in the middle of the bridge, the castle's cosmic glow reflecting in her eyes.

"Escape... across the bridge. Good plan... and then what?" she murmured, more to herself than to anyone else. There was no fear in her voice, no sarcasm. Only an overwhelming exhaustion. Slowly, she turned her gaze to the ruined path she had left behind.

A sharp creak echoed beneath her. Green flames erupted on either side of the bridge, casting a glow over her face. But Trixie didn't move.

The crystalline ground beneath her hooves trembled as a dark and heavy presence emerged from the depths. The emerald glow engulfed the entire area like a suffocating shroud. Trixie could feel every vibration, every jolt within her very being.

"Please don't come for me, please don't come for me, please don't come for me..." she whispered, her voice barely audible amid the chaos. Behind her, the voices of the Young Six grew more desperate with every passing second.

A deafening roar filled the air, silencing everything else. Trixie shut her eyes. Gallus already knew. Ocellus did too, even if she didn't want to admit it.

It was obvious if you thought about it rationally.

Everything that had happened since the morning—all the disasters—was Trixie's fault. Why? What had she done or failed to do to cause this? She had no idea. But she was convinced that, somehow, it all revolved around her.

She was the cornerstone of this entire pyramid of misfortunes that had collapsed upon them!

Trixie opened her eyes again. A wild gleam burned in them.

Alone in the middle of the bridge, with her back to salvation and the students calling out for her, Trixie's figure could have been that of a pony exhausted, resigned to an inevitable, bitter end, sacrificing herself for the greater good.

At least, that's what anyone who barely knew her might think.

However, anyone who truly knew her—someone who had shared special moments with her, who was her best friend, and who just so happened to be named Starlight Glimmer—would think something entirely different.

"What kind of nonsense are you pulling now?" reason's voice resonated, taking the form of a tiny imaginary Starlight sitting on Trixie's shoulder.

"SHUT UP! IT'S A GOOD PLAN! YOU'D DO THE SAME!" Trixie snapped, her gaze darting toward the flickers of magic appearing in front of her. Unseen by the Young Six, Trixie had begun compulsively summoning items from her wagon with the last dregs of her power.

No, Trixie hadn't given up. She was simply being... Trixie.

Somehow, at the last moment, she had come up with a plan. Maybe it was the lack of air reaching her brain, the weight of guilt crushing her conscience, or perhaps her oversized ego dragging her toward disaster.

Whatever the case, Trixie had made up her mind without hesitation that her brilliant idea would work.

She would face destiny and triumph! Everyone would be saved thanks to The Great and Powerful Trixie!

The tiny imaginary Starlight on her shoulder shook her head disapprovingly.

"AHA!" Trixie exclaimed, euphoric as she found what she was searching for.

It was a box with her face emblazoned on its sides. Without hesitation, she opened it.

The box was nearly empty and drenched in swamp water.

"Well... What a surprise! The Great and Powerful Trixie's C4 explosives box is almost empty. Ha, ha, HA! Where are my applause?!" she raged, stomping the bridge floor with her hooves. Though nothing surprised her anymore, Trixie still had enough spirit left to be furious. And a bit of gunpowder left in the box. Wasting no time, and forgetting the dangers around her, she began preparing her final trick.

"... UUUUUUU PRUP, PRUP, PRUP, PRUP..."

"Shut up already! Can't you see I'm busy preparing to give you what you deserve?" Trixie snapped, not looking up, focused entirely on finishing her trick. After a few seconds, her trembling hooves and the last 1% of her magic managed to complete it.

Silence... A deafening silence halted her movements. Accompanied by a nauseating sensation of being watched.

Realizing the unnatural atmosphere, Trixie slowly raised her gaze. Her hooves trembled—not from exhaustion, but from the pure terror coursing through her at the sight of an absolute threat.

The emerald light engulfed her, cold and silent. She saw the rest of the bridge ahead, stretching into view only to abruptly end in a deadly void. Her eyes continued upward. And there it was, at the other end of that sinister darkness.

A vast mass of shadows loomed before her, grotesque and serpentine, its elongated neck snaking across the space. In its wake, part of the bridge had vanished without a sound, consumed by the noiseless tornado of fire surrounding the intruder.

In the midst of that swollen fist of shadows that served as its head, two glowing red points shone like eyes, fixed on her.

"Trixie... Lulamoon..." the entity whispered, its voice reverberating inside her mind.

The emerald flames flared brighter.

"That's you... it's all yours. Good luck!" said the tiny imaginary Starlight before vanishing. Along with her disappearance went the reckless courage that had been pushing Trixie forward.

"This is... a terrible idea..." she murmured to herself.

Suddenly, she knew. She had been wrong. It had been an awful idea. She tried to move, to flee in panic, but she could barely blink. A magical force crushed her, leaving her unable to move or even speak.

Only her eyes moved. Her breathing grew painful.

Black tendrils emerged from the shadowy mass, one after another, as more red points ignited in the monstrous head.

Trixie watched, paralyzed, as the unknowable horror unfolded before her.

An immense circular shadow rose from the depths of the atrium, filling her entire field of vision. The main body of her monstrous captor slowly ascended, seeking an imposing height. The tendrils glimmered in the air, still, pointing at her. Fragments of the bridge and the castle floated in orbit around it, as if it were a sun of darkness.

It wasn't just strong... it had immense magic.

Trixie had to admit it. It was impossible not to.

"A monster... truly great and powerful..." she thought to herself, clenching her jaw as if that might let her move. A crushing sense of insignificance clawed at her insides. Was this her ultimate nemesis?

Unacceptable. Battling the fear consuming her and her own pessimism, Trixie's ego violently cast that notion out of her mind.

More red lights emerged from the monster's periphery. The arcane aura surrounding it flickered, and with a deep exhale, the creature's true contours began to reveal themselves. A familiar, spiral-like figure slowly took shape before her eyes.

"Wait... WHAT THE HAY?!" Trixie exploded, incredulous, her eyes widening as her body remained frozen.

The red points, which had seemed like eyes, suddenly spread like crimson mushrooms sprouting from infected flesh.

"This can't be real..." Trixie whispered, in denial.

Thick, black droplets oozed from the monster's enormous body, sometimes igniting in flames as they collided with the debris surrounding it.

"...but it is... then... I..." The realization struck her, undeniable now.

Gasps of surprise rose from behind her.

The monster, shedding the veil of shadows that cloaked it, had finally revealed its true form to Trixie.

There was no doubt. The abomination before her was...

It was!

A snail.

For a moment, Trixie couldn't think of anything else.

"... UUUUUUU, PRIP, PRIP," hissed the monster from some grotesque opening in its immense body, victorious in having reached its target.

"A snail..." continued to echo in Trixie's mind.

In the mind of anyone else, the horrifying image projected by this monstrous being would have been enough to shatter their sanity and plunge their soul into despair. But in Trixie—whose sanity was already in questionable condition and whose soul had danced with despair countless times that day—such effects were no longer possible.

With the vacant stare of a catatonic animal, Trixie's body was held aloft in the air by the terrible monster's magical grip. Bringing her closer to its indecipherable face, it observed her carefully, puzzled by the sudden lack of emotion in its prey.

The monster, a servant of the midnight named YRAG, known only to its master, briefly studied Trixie's mind with its telepathy.

Peering into her thoughts, it confirmed that its prey was still alive, though seemingly devoid of any emotion or coherent thought... only one word repeated endlessly:

"Snail... snail... snail..."

So close now, with Trixie staring at her own reflection in YRAG's grotesque eyes, and YRAG doing the same, her consciousness suddenly snapped back, jolting her out of her stupor.

"Ahhhhhhhh! Do you have any idea who I am?! Do you dare to pretend you're a worthy opponent?!" the unicorn exploded in nuclear indignation. "A mollusk will never measure up to the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

A snail...

Yes, Trixie was very aware of this. Her adversary looked terrifying with its dark tentacles, corrupt aura, burning slime, glowing red eyes, and a head armored with arcane symbols. It was certainly far from the soft, harmless gastropod one might expect to find in a garden.

Still... in the end, it was a snail. Not an ancient demon. Not a black dragon with crimson eyes. Not some other formless or unknown entity from beyond the stars. What stood before her was a snail, no matter how she looked at it. Trixie couldn't lose to that.

Though her body remained paralyzed, the unicorn's mind had become a supernova of images, memories, and emotions—all passionate and all centered on herself. Trixie's ego, the very essence of her being, was the sole pillar to which her life clung, and she was ready to fight to the bitter end.

Trixie, and only Trixie in the end. She would not meet her end under the foot of a snail.

She would rather see the universe burn in flames before that happened.

The brilliant chaos of emotions surging within Trixie was too much for the monster YRAG. Overwhelmed, it shut one of its eyes, severing the telepathic connection. But it had many eyes, so the loss of one did nothing to it physically.

And yet...

YRAG, pushing Trixie aside while regaining the vision in its blinded eye, still felt shaken by the experience. It took a moment to reflect... Who was this "Trixie" it had captured? Why had its master ordered her taken alive?

YRAG didn't know. But it did know the urgency of completing its mission.

No longer interested in the creature it had ensnared with its magic—now glaring at it with a fury as intense as a hundred suns—YRAG turned its focus toward its next target.

Its crimson eyes slowly swiveled to the far end of the bridge, where the six wielders of the magic of harmony stood. They were to be... executed.

With supreme calm, yet moving with a speed unnerving for a being of its size, the monster extended six massive tentacles toward the Young Six at the other end of the bridge. The group of friends, who had been desperately struggling to break the magical barrier imposed by the mere presence of the entity, watched in horror as the servant of the midnight began channeling its magic against them.

If YRAG could smile, it would have at that moment. Dispatching such foolish creatures who failed to comprehend the designs of darkness was a pleasure it always relished.

To its side, Trixie's eyes, still paralyzed by YRAG's magic, burned with a growing fury.

YRAG could feel it. The gaze of its insignificant prey was intense, which perversely delighted it. If it had more time, it would have enjoyed prolonging that despair.

As it maliciously savored the moment while finishing channeling its power, something caught its attention.

"GROOOOOOOO," a chorus of metallic roars tore through the magical barrier surrounding the battlefield. Suddenly, several unknown figures dove from the skies, slamming forcefully onto the bridge directly in front of YRAG.

Trixie's eyes widened, unable to process what she had just witnessed.

A dozen—perhaps more—enchanted armors of the Golden Manticore type had breached YRAG's magical defenses. With unstoppable momentum, they hurled themselves at the monster like projectiles of pure fury.

"Are they enemies?!" Trixie screamed in her mind, though no words escaped her lips. Up until that moment, she had been so preoccupied with her own survival—and that of the Young-Six—that she hadn't considered the possibility of other factions being at play, despite the glaring signs all around her.

Dumbfounded, she watched as the armors, wielding an arsenal of glowing weapons, charged at YRAG with deadly determination, seemingly intent on destroying him.

However, YRAG didn't share Trixie's astonishment. Its colossal form remained unmoving, observing the unfolding scene with cold detachment.

Then, the tips of the six tentacles it had extended toward the Young-Six twitched and twisted in a blur of motion. Like sparking electrical wires, they began to emit flashes of dark energy.

Everything happened in mere seconds.

Multiple black bolts erupted in all directions—not chaotically, but with precise intent. Guided by a sinister will, they snaked through the air like venomous serpents, striking the incoming enchanted armors.

In a blinding instant, the armors were obliterated, leaving behind only silhouettes of ash that crumbled in the wind, mere shadows of what they once were.

"Trash..." Trixie couldn't be certain, but as she saw the destruction of the armors and glanced at her captor, she felt the snail monster express that word through the sulfurous glow of its eyes.

Grand and powerful... That was what she had thought before. But now, she also saw arrogance.

A weakness?

With her thoughts clearing after the shocking event, Trixie began to plot. How could she defeat something like this? No, that was ridiculous. She had to focus on the more logical question: how could she avoid dying to this abomination?

There was no way, she quickly concluded. Pessimism began to consume her.

Her gaze dropped to the bridge's floor. Amidst the rubble and dust, a small box—miraculously intact—caught her eye.

Her last trick... Could it work? Would it be enough to escape? If only she could free herself and reach it, even for just a second!

Trixie couldn't help but fixate on the box abandoned on the bridge.

YRAG began to move again, faster now, irritated by the interruption. Its tentacles extended once more, aiming toward the Young-Six. In its many crimson eyes, a deadly resolve burned brightly.

"You idiots! Why are you still there?!" Trixie cursed, snapping out of her thoughts as she saw the group still standing on the other side of the bridge. Her anger quickly turned to despair. She knew the answer all too well: they wouldn't leave without her.

Inside Trixie, her emotions clashed violently. For an instant, her ego crumbled, and from the depths of her being, something unexpected surfaced: genuine vulnerability.

"Please, I need a miracle. Anyone who can hear me. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess... Twilight, ugh... please," she pleaded, nausea creeping in as she uttered the name of her eternal rival. But she needed this. She needed it now.

On the other side of the bridge, the Young-Six, instead of fleeing, joined hooves in a desperate final attempt to summon the power of the magic of friendship, hoping to change the tide of events.

But the efforts of the Young-Six would not be enough.

Trixie's pleas would not be enough.

Nothing would be enough.

Despite their efforts, their desperation, and the convergence of so many wills at that crossroads, the fate of this moment had already been written. And no power could change it.

That fate would only be reached by one of them…

"FIUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU"

Trixie heard a sharp whistling sound in the air, followed by another. Suddenly, the crushing pressure immobilizing her body vanished.

A miracle? The thought flickered across her mind like a shooting star: fleeting and insignificant. In the next moment, as she fell, all her thoughts converged into one—into the only thing that truly mattered. Her last wish.

Everything moved in slow motion. Her numb body barely responded. Her exhausted eyes failed to notice the golden arrows slicing dangerously close to her face. The sounds of the battlefield faded, plunging her into an eerie silence. Her gaze locked onto the bridge's surface, where the small box of explosives—her last hope—awaited.

A willpower she had never known surged within her. Every trace of exhaustion vanished from her body, now moving with fierce determination as she plummeted.

Behind her, bursts of dark energy lit up the battlefield, but Trixie paid them no mind. Nothing around her mattered anymore. Her seemingly endless descent drew her closer and closer to her target. Lightning and flashes crossed the sky, but her focus remained unbroken.

Finally, her hooves touched the box.

The world snapped back into motion.

Trixie rolled across the ground in a cloud of dust and rubble. Without missing a beat, she executed a nimble flip that brought her to her hooves, standing firm against her adversary with a determined glare. Almost immediately, she felt her opponent's magical grip seize her again, but it no longer mattered—everything was already in motion.

Trixie and YRAG locked eyes. Around them, the ashes of the enchanted armors fell like shadows amid bursts of light. Emerald flames melted the arrows attempting to pierce the monster's defenses. But beyond all this, something imperceptible had shifted.

Though Trixie was once again caught in YRAG's magical grasp, this time it was YRAG who froze.

YRAG, accustomed to dominating every battle, felt an unfamiliar chill ripple across its skin. For the first time, fear gripped the creature, and that creeping sense of defeat paralyzed it.

How could this be? Disbelieving, YRAG rejected the emotions rising within and funneled all its power into its captive, determined to knock her unconscious with its magic once and for all.

Yet the confidence in the unicorn's eyes was undeniable—a confidence possessed only by those who know they have already won.

The uncertainty became unbearable. The question could no longer be ignored. Why?

Suddenly, the box on the bridge sprang open. A crackling light shot into the air like a firework.

No. The pulsating glow it emitted and its erratic movements revealed it to be far more than a mere firework.

The light took shape in a burst—a multicolored butterfly, half Trixie's size but radiating with intense brilliance. It unfurled its stunning wings for all to see.

YRAG, caught in a moment of doubt and fearing an unknown and unexpected attack, strengthened its emerald flame barrier and raised its tentacles defensively.

A grave mistake.

The multicolored butterfly, continuing its erratic, upward flight, ignored YRAG entirely. Gliding through the gaps in the monster's magical defenses, it escaped the chaos of the battlefield. Quick and agile, it ascended higher and higher until, with one final dazzling flash, it disappeared into the lofty ceiling of the castle's atrium.

A deadly silence fell.

YRAG, bewildered by what had just occurred, reacted too late. Furious at having been fooled by such a blatant bluff, it refocused its wrath on its captive. But it froze once more… something was wrong. Despite being immobilized, Trixie wore a subtle smile, one that YRAG couldn't immediately understand.

A deafening explosion echoed through the atrium, shaking its highest structures. From across the bridge, the Young-Six, the enchanted armors, and YRAG itself watched as Trixie's plan unfolded. The castle's ceiling, weakened by the preceding chaos and triggered by Trixie's final trick, began to collapse.

Trixie had done it. Tons of debris rained down, crashing into the atrium below.

YRAG raised its magical barrier to its fullest strength, desperately attempting to halt the avalanche of stone. Another fatal mistake.

The impact was catastrophic. The rubble pounded against YRAG's shield like colossal hailstones, unleashing bursts of light and sound. The monster let out a desperate scream, but its end was inevitable.

Trixie felt the magical grip holding her dissolve once more. The cacophony was deafening, the pressure in the air suffocating. Every fiber of her being refused to move. She knew there was nothing left to do. This was the end.

With one final effort, she turned her head toward the other side of the bridge, where the Young-Six struggled to stay together in the distance. Through her narrowing field of vision, she saw Gallus pulling Ocellus and the others, finally committed to fleeing.

"Take care of them… please…" Trixie murmured, her voice barely audible amidst the emerald flames and encroaching shadows.

Suddenly, one last explosion of light illuminated the atrium, and then everything went dark.

[---]

The interior of Twilight's castle was collapsing.

Unable to look back, the Young-Six hurried down the short path that led them to the balcony.

The walls still groaned, and fragments of the ceiling rained down upon them. Not a single word was spoken.

Behind them, like the echo of distant drums, the castle's interior continued to rumble.

They didn't stop.

The roaring continued, fading incrementally into the distance. Finally, it ceased.

All the darkness that had surrounded them was left behind. It was as if they had pierced through a veil into another world. The wind struck their faces with full force, refreshing them. Spread out before their eyes, from a considerable height, the waning light of the afternoon bathed them gently, as the shy sun dipped below the horizon, painting the lands beneath in hues of gold and purple.

At last, they were outside, standing on the same balcony where they had spent the morning. Those memories, though recent, now felt distant in their minds.

Too much had happened.

Overwhelmed by stress and exhaustion, the Young-Six collapsed to the floor without a word. That floor, ordinary, flat, and dusty, which they might have overlooked before, now felt like an oasis of normality, safety, and peace.

How had their world changed so drastically in such a short time?

Tears fell freely to the ground. Whispers of grief and muffled sobs could be heard. Ocellus, still standing, gripped the balcony's railing tightly, exhaling as she stared at the horizon, lost. Behind her, she could hear her companions' quiet weeping, even Gallus's broken voice.

She felt the pain tearing through her chest as well. Tears streamed down her face, crashing to the floor.

Why had this happened to them?

The loss of Counselor Trixie had struck Ocellus deeply. Despite all their efforts, their determination, their friendship… it hadn't been enough. They hadn't been able to save her.

Ocellus broke down, unable to hold back her sobs.

Her tears fell harder, disappearing into the vast height beneath the balcony. As she watched them drop, her face contorted in anguish.

The wind kept blowing, carrying her sorrow away with it.

That sadness was shared by all.

There, from the heights of the balcony, in the warped Castle of Friendship—grown like a towering pine into the sky to safeguard its inhabitants—the Young-Six, the young bearers of the Elements of Friendship, barely grasped their own fortune. They had escaped, but only just, from the clutches of Dhona Oleg-Nar Dhazer, the last herald of the dark lord Ever-Fand. A feat few had achieved… and one that brought them no joy for the price it had cost.

The wind howled fiercely at that height.

Bathed in the warm light of sunset, Ocellus slowly regained her composure.

"Take care of them, please!" The last words she had been able to read on Trixie's lips echoed in her mind.

The lump in her throat was unbearable. The heat on her face, even worse.

But she had to move forward. Despite the exhaustion, despite the dangers that still lay ahead… she had to!

Summoning strength she didn't know she possessed, Ocellus stood tall, her gaze firm. She wouldn't give up.

Trixie hadn't. Neither would she.

Counselor Trixie…

Wiping her eyes, pushing aside the grief still gripping her, Ocellus lifted her gaze to the horizon…

And then she saw it. Beyond the light of the setting sun, it took her a few seconds… but she finally understood.

One cannot comprehend the despair of the unfortunate until one stands in their place.

"Counselor Trixie…" Ocellus murmured with a somber smile. But then, with a sharp exhale, she fixed her eyes on the new challenge ahead.

The wind roared around her.

"Get up," she said, her voice trembling but resolute.

Her companions, sprawled across the ground, barely reacted.

"Smolder, Gallus… get them on their hooves," Ocellus repeated, her tone more urgent this time, glancing briefly at her friends.

Smolder and Gallus exchanged a look.

"Ocellus, this isn't the time…" Smolder replied wearily.

"GET UP, FOR CELESTIA'S SAKE!" Ocellus shouted, her eyes blazing with fury as she stared at the horizon. In an instant, her form shifted, transforming into a majestic peacock-hawk, her wings spreading wide over the balcony.

Defiant, Ocellus stood her ground, her gaze locked on the mountains to the north, where the very fabric of space seemed to fold in upon itself in a suffocating void.

There, where the light of Canterlot—the capital of Equestria—should have shone brightly, a colossal column of shadow and distortion rose, spreading across the sky like the claws of a titanic monster.

From the heart of that shadow, the wind howled violently, the heavens swirling to reveal unknown stars and worlds unseen. The earth itself began to darken.

Geysers of water erupted around the castle as four brilliant stars hurtled rapidly toward them.

Midnight loomed above.

The tumultuous journey the Young-Six had endured with their troubled substitute teacher and counselor, from morning to afternoon, had come to an end.

Trixie Lulamoon would continue her path without them.

But the Young-Six, defenseless against the encroaching Midnight, still had one final role to play in this long and harrowing day.

That, however, would be… another story.

[---]

As she passed through the final door, she saw that everything lay in ruins… and yet… it wasn't over.

[---]

Elsewhere in the castle…

She hadn't died. Trixie was sure of that.

The world around her had been swallowed by darkness, and then she felt herself falling into the abyss.

Yet, she hadn't lost consciousness. She could still feel.

Everything was compressed. She fell, enveloped by an unknown force, suffocated and struck over and over again.

Time passed. The anguish, the shock… and still, she remained aware.

How could she still be conscious despite her exhaustion? Had she truly not died? What was pushing her? Where was it taking her?

She tried to move her body several times, but it was in vain. She no longer had the strength to protest.

With no will left to resist, she let herself be carried by the force.

Eventually, the chaotic movements and the roaring around her began to subside. The darkness receded.

Now, the wind struck her face, and everything seemed to be moving around her.

The sound of chains, of doors opening and closing.

Metallic footsteps echoed on what sounded like a path of crystal.

Trixie's vision was blurry. Something relentless was dragging her, as though a steel harness were pulling her from behind…

Suddenly, the disorienting journey came to a halt. The cold atmosphere around her gave way to warmth. Her body, numb from exhaustion, collided with a soft surface.

A gentle fragrance filled her nose… soothing music caressed her ears.

And then…

"YYYYYYYYYYYY!" Trixie shrieked, startled. Every hair on her body stood on end as a jolt of electricity coursed through her.

Her vision snapped into focus, bringing her senses and consciousness fully back. The new setting around her couldn't have been more unexpected.

It was an oval-shaped room, elegant and inviting. Fine furniture, chairs, and bookshelves brimming with tomes seemed to house all the knowledge in the world. In the middle of this environment, slightly out of place, stood a large circular table.

"Wh-where…" Trixie stammered, still dazed and not fully recognizing her surroundings.

It was Starlight Glimmer's private library, located within Twilight's castle. The table in front of her was none other than the great circular table from the Map Room.

Why was the map table here? Why was she here?

Confused, Trixie continued to glance around, muttering incoherent words, not realizing she was seated in a comfortable oak chair. Flanking her on both sides were two towering golden manticores, their armored forms standing like guardians—or jailers.

As her gaze roamed the room, it suddenly froze when it landed on the figure at the other end of the table.

"Sun… Sunburst?" she mumbled, her words sluggish.

Indeed, Sunburst sat at the opposite side of the table, relaxed and composed. He held a cup of aromatic tea while calmly examining several scrolls.

"Cunábula…" murmured a low voice just as Sunburst set the scrolls aside and turned his attention to Trixie.

Their eyes met.

"Hello, Mother," said the voice again.

To Trixie's dismay, it wasn't Sunburst speaking.

It was Royalinda.