Princesses of Equestria

Chapter 30: The Return to Canterlot

"Hail, Queen Armonia!" cheered a million adoring phoblins.

Upon the balcony of her palace, Queen Armonia waved to her beloved subjects. They didn't cheer, or bow, or heap praise upon her ... but then, eighty three point seven five percent of them were petrified, and the rest didn't exactly hold her in the highest regard.

Which was fine. Armonia didn't need their adoration. Just their fear.

And they had plenty to give. Fifty-four thousand, seven hundred and seventy-four terrified Equestrians flooded her with enough deliciously glorious phobomancy to cast the spell she'd yearned to cast for a thousand years. Such an historical occasion warranted a few thousand witnesses. Weakened by partial petrification, and restrained to a pony by phoblin guards, they watched their Queen in mute terror.

Even Shining and Cadance didn't dare give her lip, though resentment boiled in them, like a blocked kettle left too long on the stove. Armonia cared not. When they witnessed today's miracles first-hoof, Shining and Cadance would be singing their rightful Queen's praises. Them and everypony else. She could almost hear their cheers.

All hail Queen Armonia! Forever she shall reign!

Armonia chuckled at the irony of it. To think that her feckless replacement, Twilight Sparkle, was responsible for this! Had Twilight not botched her own Spring Equinox spell so disastrously, her fear-soaked alicornomancy wouldn't have reached across the divide to rouse Armonia from eternal slumber. On Armonia would have slept. On Equestria would have rotted.

Armonia should really thank Twilight for that. And since the sniveling pretender was too cravenly to come to the mountain, the mountain would come to her. A mountain of phobomancy, siphoned patiently into the Crown of Harmony ever since Armonia reclaimed Canterlot. Yearning for transcendent release. Armonia cleared her throat and, without further ado, began the spell she'd been destined to cast.

"Hark, my subjects: Our time has come."

Seedlings blossomed at her scythed horntip.

"When I was but a foal, Princess Celestia chose me as her successor. She and Luna raised me as their own."

Earth and water joined flora.

"Yet when I needed them most, when Discord's Pandemonium defaced Equestria, they failed. Their magic could not cure this dying world."

Fire ignited. Wind howled. Lightning struck.

"So, I learned new magic. I grew stronger than them. And they banished me."

Sunlight blazed. Moonlight shone.

"But I returned. I bested them. I claimed their realm and their people as my own. And with your aid, we will save Equestria together!"

The elements interwove, forming a solar eclipse.

"On this day, our magic will transform a thousand years of decay into an eternity of prosperity!"

Nearly done. The spell was nearly done.

"On this very day, the petrified shall awake to find themselves in paradise! So sayeth Queen Ar—"

BOOOM!

"What the hay?" Armonia spluttered, her concentration broken. The magics she'd gathered wasted away. She was too startled to even be outraged.

Miles southward, where Equinox Greens lay exposed, something had exploded. Armonia squinted at the rising smoke cloud. Why the deuce was it bright blue? Was that confetti? Were those sparkles? And what was that high in the sky, soaring straight at her?