“The effect that you can have…” Celestia had said.

Maybe Twilight didn’t think she was the pony they made her out to be—Celestia, her friends, ponykind. But if they could put their trust in her, then she could put her trust in them. If they believed that she was their savior, then she could, she would, be that savior. She’d wear the mantle of command for them, for as long as she had to.

Because now she had a chance to earn it. A spell was about to be released, up and away, to eradicate everything inside every pony, everywhere, that made them special. Unless something made it miss.

It would have to be something incredibly strong and powerful, and there was only one thing that could possibly do that. A pony so mighty she was practically a god. A pony who didn’t need to do this to prove that she was worth ponykind’s devotion, because they already believed that to be true, and that made it true.

Pinkie Pie’s smile faded. Her eyes widened.

It had taken her to the very end, but Twilight was happy again. With who she was, with what she was, and with the ponies around her. The thought left her mind and found Pinkie’s. “I love you. All of you. And I love Celestia, too. Make sure to tell her.”

The twenty-first illustration for the book release of The Immortal Game, a Season Two epic about ponies and war. See it here: https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/893660/