Princesses of Equestria

Chapter 31: Battle for the Crown

CRASH!

A dented steel bulkhead skidded to a halt. Harmony's Elemental stomped over it, and entered Castle Armonia. Amethyst hooves cracked the obsidian marble, ripped the carpet, kicked dust off thorn-encrusted buttresses, and shook the stained glass windows until they cracked.

Twilight didn't give a toss. To hay with the décor. It was the decorator she had eyes for.

On her dread throne, Queen Armonia gathered phobomancy into the Crown of Harmony, preparing to re-cast the Spring Equinox spell that Pinkie's party cannonfire had interrupted. Haloed by seething fear magic, Armonia faced her intruders with newfound confidence, and oozed regal condescension.

"Welcome, my little ponies—"

"BLAST HER!"

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Spike were only too happy to oblige. In a split second, they concentrated, drew upon the magic of friendship, and gave it form. Harmony's Elemental tossed her fiery mane, pointed her lance of a horn between Armonia's widening eyes.

What came next put the shot that had destroyed Armonia's strongest ward to shame.

ZAP!

Armonia's throne and the whole wall behind was obliterated by a scorching rainbow torrent. At its center a winged shadow writhed, and was shoved back along slagged tiles.

Twilight took no chances. She willed Harmony's Elemental to advance, and blast harder. A column of laserfire became a river, and over its roar, Twilight snarled at the smear pinned by her magic's irresistible force.

"It's over, Armoni—" The smear pushed back. Hard. Immovable object hard. "Huh?"

Her friends echoed her gasp, struck by all-too familiar terror. The unthinkable was happening again.

Just like that fateful night in Ponyville, a dark rainbow pushed against the Elements' combined light. And just like that fateful night in Ponyville, the light wasn't coming out on top.

By rights, it should have. By rights, the Link of Harmony's energies, carried from Equinox Greens back to Canterlot in seven suits of Heartstone armor, should have won the battle.

Instead, the Link of Harmony faltered.

"Tarnation! Something ..." Applejack's earth crumbled.

"... isn't quite right." Rarity's ice boiled.

"The Link's mojo's going all no-jo!" Rainbow's fire guttered.

"Can't ... keep it ... together." Fluttershy's plants withered.

"But why?! " Twilight's lightning grounded out.

"Twitchatwitchhitthedeck!"

Pinkie blew everypony out of the way just as Armonia's counterattack caught their Elemental straight in the chest.

Its own laser bisected by a piercing black lance, the Elemental howled, and dissolved, leaving Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Rarity and Spike behind, lying in a dazed heap.

"As I ... was saying ..." Armonia straightened, got her breath back, and resumed monologuing. "Welcome, my little ponies. You're just in time. The Crown of Harmony is ready." As soon as she said it, the corrupted tiara charged anew, repairing Armonia's damaged armor, feeding her fresh vigor, and forming the beginnings of a Spring Equinox spell.

"With but a thought," Armonia cried, "I shall unleash its energy and—"

As if a switch had been flicked, as if a hoof had been stamped, as if some force in Equestria had made a master stroke aeons beyond anypony's comprehension, suddenly there was no energy. No Spring Equinox spell. The Crown of Harmony's phobomantic power had been cut off. Armonia looked slowly upward.