Pain ripped through Luna's body. Sharp spines were slicing into her throat, the swirling vine cutting off her air supply in the process. She gasped for breath, struggling to free herself from the monster’s grip, but knowing her own strength would to no good. Her main focus was keeping conscious, and protecting the five ponies and the dragon below until they could get away. Not being able to see them at the moment did put a hindrance on that plan, so she would just have to keep up the spell as long as she could. After that, even Luna was uncertain of her fate. But the safety of Equestria was her number on priority, and those others that were present were the key to that.
Luna suddenly felt an increase of energy around her. She forced her eyes open a smidgeon, but all she could see were flashes of light around her. What in the world? But she didn't have time to figure out what it could be, as she felt her mind slipping away. Her oxygen had run out, but the shield remained in place until her last moment of consciousness, when it flickered and then faded, along with the princess' horn. The creature must have considered her dead, either from suffocation or her wounds or a combination of both, but the important thing was that he dropped her, in time for Iron Wing to catch the princess.
She started to come to as the force of the impact roused her. Luna suddenly gasped, realizing that there was air to be had, but her eyes remained closed as she caught her breath. It took a moment for her pain to register, but when it did the princess let out moan, opening her eyes to survey the current state of things. She was flying, that much she could tell, though not of her own wings. It was only when she was slid onto the ground that Luna could look up at her rescuer. Armor clad and wings spread, with a high chest and muscled legs, there was no mistaking—one of the guard.
Luna sat up slowly, biting her tongue to keep from crying out. She nodded boldly back at Iron Wing—not because she was necessarily taking orders from the mare, but because she herself did not have a better idea at the moment. She would go along with Iron Wing's plan, but only because it was a the only plan they had, not because she was taking orders.
She did her best to watch the battle unfolding before her. The dragon's orders to Ice Storm resonated in her head, but it took several moments for the meaning to actually register. She glanced around—the group was in bad shape, and the two healthiest members were working to keep the monster at bay. They were valiant fighters, but the two of them only had so much strength. And whatever strength or magic they had, the creature had it ten-fold.
It was time for her to act.
Luna struggled to her feet, her body shaking. She'd lost a decent amount of blood, and it was still pouring out of her from her neck and the lower half of her body. But she had to do something. Luna stepped back a few paces, spreading her hooves and planting them firmly on the ground. Her horn glowed, her eyes closed, and her head lowered. It took a mere few moments for for her eyes to shoot open again, glowing a solid light blue as magic coursed through her. In the next instant, a spectral being floated from her body. The basic appearance was that of the princess, except her body was glowing and sparkling with magical energy. Her physical body was perfectly still, channeling the necessary spell.
The magic Luna sped forward, and she began to make circles around the shadow being. A glittering trail followed her, wrapping around the creature with every turn. The light magic squeezed him, bit by little bit, as Luna made her way from its legs to the torso to the head. The creature began to crack, bit of light starting to show through as her magic seeped into him. But that still might not be enough. She was powerful on her own, yes, but this monster had a strength unlike any being she'd fought in many thousands of years. Luna poured all her being into the shadowy form, but it was still fighting back, and she feared that if she lost her hold on it, none of them might make it out of here.
Though Luna was too absorbed in her task to hear the call, according to what Colt and Iron Wing, reinforcements would be arriving—or failing to arrive—any moment. Luna just knew that she had to hold on as long as she could.