Celestial Tortures Book II: Nightmares

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Epilogue

Chapter 1

Being of royal blood often is to be considered a blessing by many

But few actually know that hard events that happen behind the curtains

And even less know the personal tortures

A gray magenta iris glared once again down from the window. It just looked down upon the garden below as the rain gently ticked against the very glass. Its very sound disrupting the harmonious silence that always occupied the room. The eye gradually fell upon many of the statues that were housed within the garden. Statues that were carved by the greatest artistic minds that the land had to offer. The normally so proud and joyful statues were then nothing more but gray shadows while the dark clouds moved over the ancient castle. But the eye of the white coated, multi colored maned and tailed mare, never left them alone. Her other eye was always hidden by the mane, it didn't matter in what direction they or she stood, there was always one that remained hidden from the crowds. One eye that could never be read by anypony, not even family.

Eventually did the visible eye fell upon one statue in particular. That of the only being she ever loved in her life, truly loved. The only creature that loved her, for her. A small tear ran down her face as the eye closed itself from the world. “How could I have been both so blind and stupid,” she mumbled to herself in a soft tone. She turned itself around in order to face the throne she occupied during the day. The eye was revealed once again, but was filled with a sadness of a distant past.

---

For months had it stood outside by then, all while watching the ponies around him who made fun of him every now and then. The statue was not one of just marble or granite, or any other commonly used construction material. No, this was made out of a living being. A being that had become the spirit of chaos and terrorized the land for many years until the two sisters of harmony locked him within the cold stone. It was against the will of the elder one that the creature was imprisoned into stone. The perfect place to keep the silence and powers in tone.

The mighty alicorn princess sat down on the throne with a deep sigh. She just allowed herself to drop on it without any regalness. Things have been going rather easy but in her mind it was chaos. The nature of the beast in stone never truly left her. Another deep sigh found its way out of her nose as some of the guards looked over to the princess of the sun. They were wondering if everything was alright but none of them dared to ask. But after the sigh turned the breathing into a relaxed one as her ears twitched ever so lightly at the gentle ticking of the rain.

Though locked away into his stone prison, there was that hurtful image still on his retina. One that haunted him deeper than anything. Screams, curses and pleads all did their turn within the cold rock while he tried to find a way out, day in and day out. Only to be growing even more mad over time. Able to live on but not to move, hear the outside world but not able to speak to it. It was truly the worst of the worst punishment in this land of harmony.

But things would only get worse. No matter how bad things are, it could always get worse.

---

The head of Celestia lowered itself with the golden aura around her horn. Her eye closed off from the world while she was one with the sun itself. She guided it to its place to rest before her beloved sister would raise the moon and thus allowed the stars to shine in the dark night. The lips of the princess were moving gently. Nopony heard them, but they mumbled words in an unknown language. The sun lowered itself behind the hills of the land where it allowed the skies to turn from their warm blue into an inviting red. A thing done just before the darkness took over the land and it consumed every single inch of it. The horn of the mare discharged itself thus letting the aura disappear as her head rose up. “Now, it is up to you sister. It is your turn to shine, allow the night to fall upon our land, drag it out of the horrible twilight once more,” Celestia mumbled to herself in a quiet tone. The soft clatter of her hoofshoes made its way down the path of stone.

It was when she entered the throne room that her eye caught the dark blue mare, her sister, the very princess of the night. A mare that lived her life under the name of Luna had awoken from her daily slumber as a loud yawn left her mouth before she mumbled her words. “Evening Tia.”

“Evening sister, did you sleep well?” the elder one asked in her usual and caring voice.

“Suppose it could be better, maybe a good night might actually help me to get some sleep. Say, are you going to stay for dinner with me?” she spoke and questioned in return while she tried to fight off the sleep.

Celestia gave a confirming nod to her sister, who smiled a little tired in return. Of course had the elder sister taken note of the happened events. But when she asked about it, Luna always managed to avoid the question it something else. It would be during the dinner that she would ask again and hoped for an answer, even if it wasn't one she would truly like.

“Then I shall see you after the moon rise, Tia,” the tired voice of the younger mare spoke. The sound of glass against stone did its turn over the floor once more. For they carried the alicorn out of the room and made her way over to the lunar altar in the garden.

When she stood outside made the soft blowing of the wind its way gently over her coat whereas her flowing mane and tail weren't affected by it. Her moderate cyan eyes glared into the deep darkness of the dreadful twilight. The darkness was a darkness that went back to the ancient times of ponies, a primal darkness of pure nothing. It was during that time, that critical time between day and night that the wall to the mythical ‘Void’ was at its smallest. Sometimes the spirits of other realms would find their way into the mortal world by passing through. Some being a soul granted another chance, others that would wreak chaos and disorder.

A spark went through her eyes while her horn gently charged itself in its cobalt blue aura. “The moon shall rise ever so majestically, the skies filled with my stars...I hereby, let the night begin!” Luna lowered her head so deep that her horn could touch the ground and it send pulses of magic through it. Circular pulses of blue light where literally the only things to be seen for two minutes before her head rose up carefully.

On the far horizon there was a faint light that could be seen. And soon enough became the tip of a white orb visible as her head raised itself even higher. Many small tremors did its turn through the ground as the younger sister rose upon her hind legs. “The night, has began!”

Her wings spread themselves with vast amounts of regalness before she rose up into the skies themselves. All while the orb followed with her in a graceful manner. It had began to illuminate and indulge the land within its wonderful light. Revealing the land shrouded in darkness with the only light visible being that of the orb that was the very thing she ruled over. The thing that was bounded with her name. The orb being a rock, a rock of complete silence, the always so beautiful moon.

Her horn charged up even further and released bolt after bolt into the dark skies above her. Each of them pierced the skies like it was nothing where they created holes in them which filled themselves up with light. The stars were awoken and formed their given constellations which many knew, all under the keen eyes of their goddess. High above the land the moon could be found and it would stay there for the upcoming twelve hours.

Luna allowed herself to both discharge her horn and fall back to the ground with her hooves as she smiled in the inviting light of the moon, her reign had begun. The night was hers and hers alone to rule. There where her sister took the day.

---

Upon her return into the throne room was the moon casting its wonderful light right into it, therefore creating an even more wonderful play of light. Her older sister could be found behind a table with a smile. “You never seem to fail, now do you, Luna?” she spoke with a soft chuckle.

“Never sister, I strive for perfection and you know that, perhaps better than anypony. All despite the organized chaos I drop myself in every night. So, what is up for breakfast?” Luna chuckled just before she took place on her own seat.

“The same as usual for you,” replied Celestia to her. Moments later they ate their gotten food. All while the discussion of what happened the day before took place. Many different subjects took their turn as Luna listened to each one carefully, taking them all into her mind as she took a bite out of her bread.

“So you are saying, that the guards are getting a more strict time schedule? Why was this not discussed with me before? Or do this only involve your guards?” Luna started to question after hearing the story. Something was not right, and she wanted to know the fine details of it.

Celestia gave a nod of confirmation at the question. “Why yes, they do involve my guards, but that doesn't mean yours won’t be needed. Sister, evil is raising from the kingdom in the north, it is time to prepare our defenses as well. If that heart is truly as dark as the rumors suggest, we need to be prepared with all of our might. I suggest you start to train your guards on evacuation moves, given how agile they are,” the elder sister warned, heeding the words from far north already.

A deep sigh left through the nose of Luna. The slice got place back on the plate and she glanced right in the eye of Celestia. “I can only pray those rumors aren't as bad as they, they say.” But near the end of that, a soft winch raced through her body. One that caused a flash to appear before her eyes. A horrific sight of her sister in the very stone she once was placed in, but only forever.

The elder sister took a deep note of the sudden winch in Luna and placed her fork back on the plate. Celestia would have stared a bit worried to her with her visible eye. “Woona, are you alright? For the last months, you know you can tell me everything right?” she reassured her little sister.

“I, I am alright, Tia, just didn't got as much sleep as I desired it to have, it is nothing all too serious, don’t worry too much about me please,” the younger sister replied in an instant. She shook her head a couple of times to get everything straight again.

A slight moan left the elder mare as she stood up. “Then so be it sister, but if you wish to talk, you know where to find me, I wish you a good night for now.”

Having finished her own breakfast, Luna left the table under a small sigh of discomfort before she made her way over to the throne. Her hooves made their distinct and unique clattering sound on the steps given her glass shoes. The princess reached the platform of the chair and lowered her behind on it in order to assume a sitting position. Her blue eyes just started to glaze over to the many stained glass windows, letting herself to wander off into realms where no mortal ever has been going nor ever should go through.

All of the celestial guards made their exit as their shifts were over when the princess of the sun went to bed. Each of them did their salutes before they marched out of the room as a group. For a few minutes Luna just sat there, all alone and by herself, waiting for her own guards to arrive.

When the time was there eventually, the lunar guard made their entrance through the open windows of the room. All of them looking like pegasi, but there were a couple things that made them different from the flying race. Their gray coat and wings were the most notable changes. The wings weren't as feathery, soft and warm. No, these wings were cold, skinned and boney. The wings of a bat where the ones these ponies carried, the branch of pegasi was simply known as bat ponies. Many myths and legends surround their kind as nopony, with the exception of themselves and the princess, knew their true origin. Their armor was also a lot different from the celestial guardians. Where those had smooth curves and were shining in the light, the armor of the lunar one was rough and dark both meant to indulge fear in their enemies and remain hidden in the darkness.

Two different guards, two different ways of doing their job. Celestia wasn't the biggest fan of their manners of work, but understood the way they did. Countless arguments have done their turn through the room in the months after the chaotic incident of the old love. Arguments that often ended in both sisters angrier than when they started. They would have simply walked away from each other, not speaking a single word to the other. Both of the sisters shared blood, but their personality was reflected in what they represented, they differed day and night from each other.

While the guards nodded respectfully to their master, it became obvious they all either preferred one type of weaponry or were given the order to wield it. Where spears were common by the daily guards, the nightly ones were carrying something rather unusual, a two toed claw with sparks of an electric current going through it. Metal braces connected the hoof and the weapon with each other, a fierce and powerful weapon.

The durga –as it was called– was something that had been invented by Luna herself. She never liked the original weaponry given to them. They needed something that matched their armor and personality. After a long time of thinking, that was perfect design. When in the heat of battle would the sparks become more intense which therefore created a solid, electric claw ready to both stun and shred the enemy in front of them. But as per usual she needed the acceptance of her sister, who gave it under one condition: that her own infiltrators had to get the same set of weaponry. To that, Luna got back to the drawing board and actually managed to change the electric current into a fiery one, resulting in another set of weapons which they use now. The effect is still the same with the exception that there is a claw of fire for them would be shredding and burning the objects it goes through.

---

When she saw that her guardians had taken their place, the princess of the night nodded before her eyes closed themselves for her nightly adventures. Luna had gained a power over the months after the incident that not even Celestia nor Starswirl could explain to her. But no matter what, it always felt it belonged to her, that it was her in more than one way.

Relaxed in- and exhales were made by her. She had began to call upon the magic of the night while letting her horn coat itself into the cobalt blue aura. Her mind released itself from the body. It didn't took that much longer for her eyes to open up, but instead of the cyan colored rims, all that could be seen was white. A pure white coloring had taken over as her soul joined the departing mind for the mythical realm of dreams.

A realm she owned and could bend and morph to her own desires. Giving ponies either the nicest of dreams or the worst of nightmares. Her mind and soul found themselves in the very center of this realm, a place she always explained as ‘the white plains’, for that was what it was. But from there she had an eye to every single dream in Equestria, from the just born and sleeping foal, to the elderly ponies whose time wouldn't be that long anymore.

Passed many dreams she flew, bending them to her will as she went, changing nightmares for those who didn't deserve them into dreams of fun. But she never, ever showed herself to them directly. Though there was one exception. Something terrible she had to do every night.

The guiding of the soul.

It wasn't something she liked to do but it had to be done. And that night wouldn't be any different for soon enough she found herself in a dream of pleasure. Luna was greeted by a pleasant sun in what appeared to be a park of some sort. Young fillies and colts were playing on the field and everything just was so calm and peaceful. Not a single cloud that occupied the pleasant spring sun. An old stallion was just sitting on a bench with a cane to the ground where he rested his forelegs on. He simply watched over the ponies playing and Luna knew it. She knew it was time for him to go, to go to the life beyond. “S-Sir?” she spoke in a quiet tone. Only after she had come to a standstill next to the bench. The last thing she wanted, was to startle the stallion.

The head of the aged stallion rose up from the many thoughts that went through the mind. His old eyes opened themselves and found their resting place upon hers. “Yes, young one?” he asked in a gentle and respectful tone.

“Your time has come, I, I am afraid you have to come with me,” she spoke in a voice that was filled with mixed emotions of her own. The stallion however, just gave a nod before he stood up. His eyes made one last look over to the playing fillies and colts before he made his way over to her. But then he passed her with a friendly smile and waited for her a dozen hooves ahead.

The actions done surprised the princess a little bit. Most of the time, many would just struggle against her will. Luna turned herself around and walked up to the stallion as she simply asked the burning question. “W-Why art thou coming so easily? Did thou lost thy will to live?”

He allowed a sigh to leave through his nose as he shook his head before the words left him. “No your highness, quite the contrary, I have lived for long enough. For eighty beautiful years I have wandered over the surface of the world as we know it. For eighty years I explored many unknown things the world had to offer. Until I met my beautiful wife, gained wonderful foals, a filly and a colt. I have seen them growing up into a great mare and a stallion to be proud on. I didn't lose the will, I just want to give it a nice ending. Passing over in the sleep, a passing over I wish everypony. Don’t worry about my family and friends your Highness, I have taken the time to say my goodbyes and they know it would happen tonight,” he explained to her with a small smile.

The attention of the princess was fixed upon the stallion but couldn't help it to look back at the bench and the rest of the part. All of it was slowly surrounded by darkness, the darkness that originated out of the body that was dying slowly. While they were walking over the plain, they came towards a light that was unknown to almost everypony yet they all knew about it. Luna knew what it was but never even dared to go through it, for behind that barrier laid the afterlife.

“There is only one thing left to do, and that is to thank you, princess, thank you for the guidance you have given us, we shall never forget you, princess Luna, her majesty of the night,” he spoke while he stood before the gate of light.

Luna didn't knew any words to speak and therefore gave a simple smile under a thankful nod. And then he was gone. He had stepped through the light and into the great unknown as tears built up within the eyes of the mare. Luna always took those things deeply personal, she didn't know why but she just did. “G-Goodbye then,” she spoke as she held a moment of silence for him.

---

All of the sudden did the white eyes of the princess regained their blue coloring as both her soul and mind returned themselves forcefully into the body they always found themselves again. Her right forehoof made its way over to her right eye in order to wipe a small tear of utter sadness away. Her cyan colored eyes glared over the small drop of body liquid as she watched her own reflection, “Just what does it truly mean to be immortal? To be blessed, or to be cursed?” Willing to just dispatch of the though, Luna brought her hoof down to the ground while her eyes stared at the clock. Her shift was over and the night had to make way for the day once again.

She removed herself from the throne under a deep sigh and walked down towards the doorway for the desire to meet her sister wasn't there anymore. Luna didn't want to meet up with Celestia and talk about the matters that happened in the other realms. It was something she always did when the event of letting a soul pass over happened. Celestia played herself dumb for the most part, but she knew what was truly going on. She knew her sister and Luna always had taken those kind of things very personal, if not a bit too personal. Just one glance was more than enough to give it away. The elder sister didn't wanted to bother her even more than she already was.

The mare found herself in the many hallways of the castle as she was making her way over to the lunar wing, her wing of the castle. It was decorated to her own liking and desires. Walking through its dark halls always created a small smile upon her face. But that time she simply walked up to a door which had her cutie mark encrusted on it and two guards on either side of the door who both nodded respectfully to her.

The horn of the princess allowed itself to charge up and the door swung open for her and closed just as rapidly when she passed them.

Inside her own room, could a room filled with organized chaos be found. For the stacks of papers and quills laid everywhere while her bed was oddly clean from everything. Her eyes glared over to the desk while a deep sigh left her nose. Both her little crown and chest piece removed themselves from her body and were placed upon it. Luna let them rest peacefully as her shoes were put off and she just jumped into her bed, the mare just wanted to sleep through the wonderful day. And to suffer yet another nightmare.

---

A little princess of the night found herself galloping over the plains close to the ever so feared Everfree Forest. The clouds were nonexistent as the sun shone down upon her blue coat ever so wonderfully. Her giggle was the only sound to fill the air while the soft blowing of the wind made her hairy mane move in an out of her eye.

But hidden deep in the forest, lured the creature of pure darkness. A mare whose heart was as black as the deadly twilight between the night and day. A creature from who its origin was shrouded in mystery yet was as clear as day. Its cyan, cat-like eyes glared over to the little filly, lurking upon her, upon its innocence, waiting for the right moment to strike.

And that moment didn't came much later began clouds of darkness to arise for out of the Everfree. Clouds that would be blocking out the sunlight where they went as the ground got covered by a dark and thick fog. Slowly it left the forest and crawled up on the plains and to the little princess of the night.

The little mare gently cocked her head upon the very sight of the fog that was crawling up. But the fear she had was truly awoken by the dark clouds, which kept drifting towards her, shrouding her in their darkness. Luna carefully sat down on her behind and simply watched as she spoke her words. “M-Mommy? D-Daddy? S-Sis? Q-Quit the games! They are not fun!”

But not a single response came from anything. Not much later had the little Luna found herself sitting in the middle of the dark and foggy plain. She tried to keep herself tough despite being scared for her life. “L-Leave me alone!” she shouted out while her eyes appeared to be bursting out into tears.

Out of the shadows of the forest could those cyan colored cat eyes be seen doing their turn again and made their way up to Luna under a thick and black fog as a seducing female voice spoke to her. “Leaving you alone? I am afraid I can not do that child... You see, you are perfect.”

“P-Perfect for what?” the filly princess replied in fear and surprise. She tried to place the voice by anything and anypony she remembered. That was the odd thing, she had heard it somewhere before. She just couldn't pinpoint it.

“Hmhmhm, you shall see soon enough little Luna, soon enough everything will be clear to you, you need time, and I... I need to feed,” the mist replied to her. And then there was a set of pure white fangs that appeared out of it and opened in a jaw like manner. In the gaping hole was an entire galaxy of darkness that was revealed, almost making it look like a black hole. Luna was frozen with fear upon the sight and was unable to move. The fog made no time to waste and it just swallowed her whole under the screams of utter agony and fear that came from the little princess.

---

The eyes of Luna opened themselves forcefully, only to burn themselves into the burning light of the sun accompanied with another yet more realistic loud scream of agony before she pulled the blankets over her head. As her eyes were given some rest again, Luna released a deep and angry growl of utter hatred. “Bloody nightmares!” she muttered almost in a shout from under the blankets.

Both of the guards that stood outside of the room had their eyes growing small when they heard the growl. The both of them could only release a gulp for what was going to happen soon enough. They made their way away from the door and just looked at each other like it was going to be their last moment together.

Soon enough did the doors flung open while a beam of cobalt blue magic magic was shot through the hallway. From both of the doors was nothing left as both guards were hiding on either side of the hallway. They shivered in fear before the princess of the night left her room whose very eyes stood on thunder. A loud huff left her nose as the bags under her eyes could be seen before her horn discharged itself. Without a word spoken she ventured through the hallway and down towards the throne room where her sister was wondering just what that explosion could have been.

The grayish magenta iris glazed over to the angry sister who wandered into the room without a word, huffing out a little cloud of smoke with each exhale. “Bad night again, sister?”

“And would your highness just shut up against me!?” Luna replied in anger before she spread her wings in order to take off.

“Well excuse me for caring about you to begin with.”

“Ugh...” Luna then looked over to the open door of the balcony and simply galloped towards it, jumping into the air at the last possible moment as her wings spread themselves majestically in order for her to simply fly away. Flying through the air as her mind tried to forget the stress of the dream she had, but also tried to understand its meaning. It is spoken in wise words that a knife always slices on two sides of something and that, was exactly what happened.

Back on the throne released the princess of the sun a deep sigh. She allowed her own mind to dive into the matter, beginning to consider things deeply as she began to speak in herself. “Luna is growing more and more angry... These nightmares keep plaguing her, yet she won’t share what they are about nor what they want... Why do you make this so hard for me sister?” All of the guards stared a little bit to each other before they returned to their original pose.

In the meantime had Luna made herself comfortable on a cloud high in the skies. There where she allowed herself to bath gently in the sun while her head hung low. Her eyes glared down upon the land and the ponies that were working, playing or just relaxing. It was at the sights below that the feeling of incompleteness and of unworthiness crawled up inside of her. For where ponies often praised Celestia for the day, none would ever come to her and praise her for the night. Of course there were exceptions and this case it were the bat-ponies. But never one of their original supposed subjects. She didn't had a school for unicorns like her sister, nor a personal student. She had quite literally nothing except a fancy title and the blood of royalty running through her veins.

Chapter 2

Dreams are nice

Nightmares are horrible

But it is within those nightmares, one faces the monsters

And the monster one actually is

“Luna,” a voice within the head of the princess echoed softly. The voice sounded as sweet as it possibly could. A voice that a mother would use to speak to her foal on a stormy night to comfort the poor and troubled soul.

The princess of the night found herself in a field of roses. She just laid in there with her eyes closed and her mind wandered off to other things. Nothing was on her head. No duties, no appointments, no nothing. Just her and her alone. The moon shone bright above the field while the roses themselves were illuminated by its white light. It had an interesting effect on the plants as they became an ocean of red and white light.

It was the event she was waiting for. The ocean indicated the coming of another being. A being that she originally feared at first. A monstrous version of herself would come. A being that was indescribable for her and she preferred to keep her mouth shut about its existence. “Luna, my Luna where art thou?” the voice spoke again. A gentle but dark fog moved itself over the flowery field.

“I, I am here,” spoke Luna before her eyes opened. Her head popped up from the flowers not many seconds later. Though it wasn't the face she used to carry around. For it was the face of times long thought to be lost, from the time she was just a little filly. “You come to play again?”

“Hmhmhm, you can sort of say that yes. Let’s play a game here,” the figure within the fog spoke under a deep chuckle. Without a warning given there were two black pegasus wings which emerged from the sides of the fog. “Yes, let’s play a game.”

The innocent minded filly just tilted its head before the rows of fangs became visible within the fog. Upon seeing the sight with her eyes, she knew things had gone terribly wrong and she released a scream of utter fear. Luna turned herself around and changed her pace over into a gallop almost instantly. She just wanted to stay clear of the being within the fog.

But the being had no intention in leaving the young filly alone. With its large wings had it propelled itself forward. The gap between the two became shorter and shorter with every second and the first stances of the mist could be seen in the filly’s eye corners. “N-No!” she shouted while she continued her best to outrun the fog.

It was all a hopeless attempt though. But also one which made the being inside the darkness chuckle deeply before the fangs opened themselves up in an enormous mouth like hole. A hole that could be compared to a black hole. No light in, no light out.

The young Luna had began to cry while she gave her legs every possible strength she could give within them. The attempts to escape were simply nullified as the fog reached her. Tears streamed down her face before she was picked up and tossed in the air like she was nothing. The very last thing her eyes would be seeing where the white fangs of the black fog.

---

The mare shocked up and out of her own dreams before her eyes widened themselves as far as possible. Her pupils were nearly invisible. She found herself panting deep on the cloud she took her rest on. Her brain pounded itself against her skull in the form of a massive headache as the little bat snuggled up against her right forehoof in an attempt to calm her owner down. The younger alicorn released a deep sigh as her eyes stared into the distance for just a bit.

Luna shook her head a couple times. She couldn't believe that what just had happened to her. She was tormented by yet another dream of horror. A dream she was forced to suffer each time she closed her eyes to sleep herself. Something had nestled itself within her mind, almost like a parasite. Something she wanted to kept quiet to all the others yet the most for herself. Luna never had the personality to trouble others with her own problems. They were hers and she had to solve them. It was a mentality she had and wouldn't change up any time of the day.

Unlike Celestia though. Her older sister always sought up the help of others where it was possible. Over the years that happened to go by, the two sister grew closer to their respectable elements. Though not only in their powers as also their personality had to believe and readjust themselves to those facts. The royal sisters of Canterlot literally differed day and night from one another. And Luna liked it that was, she never wanted to just stand on the shoes of her sister.

For the first time since she woke up, were her eyes calmly laid on the little bat. There was a small smile to be seen on her face. She caressed the little creature with her other hoof as carefully as she could. Luna let the fur of her hoof made contact with the fur of the bat who released a happy screech in return.

But in the corners of her eyes she caught something that truly called her back in the there and then, back to her duty. The sun’s final rays did their turn over the land and with a quick calculation within her mind, Luna spoke her words. “Three, two, one...”

Darkness followed. Nothing more, nothing less. The time between the day and night had fallen upon the land. The time where she had to do her duties as a princess, and raise the moon.

That was exactly the thing that she did. With a powerful charge and surge of her horn, it showed the tip of the moon itself on the horizon. The light that was irradiated from the rock had a pleasant effect on the ponies below. All of them knew it was the time of the day they could sleep. To just get their rest from a hard day of work.

The cobalt blue aura disappeared from her horn and her eyes gazed over the calm and peaceful night. But instead of joy, it filled her eyes with a sadness greater than everything. Luna had realized that nopony worshiped the night as they did it with the sun. Nopony truly loved the night. Every night she received a cry for her assistance through the dreams she could visit that spoke about how fearful and scary the night actually was to them. And every single time, it broke her heart when she heard something like that.

Luna spread her wings as she stood up from the cloud. The bat that had been snuggling up against her for the last hours of the day made its way over to the nose of the mare and sat down on it. “Go my nightly friend, the night is young and your energy rich,” she spoke against the little creature. It released a small screech before it left again. Off into the darkness of the night to do whatever it felt like. “Our energy is rich,” she corrected herself in a whisper.

With one powerful leap into the air she flew off of the cloud and glided for a great portion through the air. The air that was cut by her wings as she came by left a trail of stardust which also fell off of her tail. All the while her eyes looked at everything to be seen. The plains, the woods, the towns, literally everything. But nothing could please her mind. Nothing worshiped her for the ruler she was. She found herself just a shadow of her sister, nothing more and nothing less.

---

The princess of the sun found herself on the throne as she watched over the moon that crawled its way over the skies. But the stars stayed away. The usual rips over the skies that caused them to shine didn't appear. “No stars tonight... Something is troubling her again,” spoke Celestia to herself. Her eyes fell back on the room. The guards had taken use of the opportunity to talk a bit to their colleagues as the guard of the night had arrived. The bat ponies of Luna marched into the room like a military squadron, as they always had done actually. When their eyes caught up it was Celestia that sat on the throne, each of them bowed before her. The princess smiled warmly to them and soon after it they went their own away way.

The celestial and lunar guards may have been different on the outsides but their hearts and mentality always had been the same. They lived to serve and protect their royals and country. Most of the bat ponies took place on the spots the other stallions stood and they had a little talk with one another. Their conversations weren't the most interesting but provided at least some distraction as the younger sister was still away.

Through the length of the day Celestia had heard how the ponies worshiped the sun and thanked her for that. Her public appearance of the day was once again greatly visited and it wasn't something Luna was particularly happy about. It truly bugged the younger alicorn.

“~Oh sister, my sister where have you gone with time~” Celestia sung softly herself, “~a filly with a heart filled with joy and glee, now I only see sadness and a stormy sea~”

---

High up in the skies she flew by soaring through clouds and open air as her eyes were only fixed on the Canterlot Castle. It would be there where she and her sister would have a great conversation with one another. But before she was allowed to do that, there was one other talk that was to be held. One that was a bit unusual, even for her.

Her course changed itself over to the woods of Everfree. A feared forest by any soul that entered it and didn't had to live there. Everything moved on its own and operated on its own. Something that all of ponykind, even the princesses themselves, feared greatly.

The place where she landed was the courtyard of a castle that was once used by one of the lost princesses of the land. A unicorn princess to be exact. A mare that lived under the name of princess Platinum and she was the daughter of the unicorn king from the Ancient Times. Yet she also was the great grandmother of an enemy the alicorn sisters recently came in contact with. The dreaded unicorn that lived under the name of king Sombra.

A stallion whose heart was a black as coal and managed to take over the might in the Crystal Empire. A land that was entirely made out of crystal, including its very own residents. He ruled over the land for weeks before the royals took matters in their own hooves. But they never dared to engage the wicket stallion. His time wasn't there yet in their eyes. But all of that would change upon the calm night they were entering. They would march to war during that very night.

Luna had a glance around for a bit in the courtyard of the place. But something told her that the conversation had to wait. Wait until a later point in time as there was something that caught her attention. Her own sister called out for her through a telepathic message. The message that was spoken wasn't one that just asked where she was.

Curious to the matter itself doubted Luna if she would stay and have the talk, or heed the call of her sister. It was a tough choice for her. Her head kept switching between the two castles as the thoughts continued to race through her. Under a deep sigh of her own, Luna made the decision to take off again and accepted the call of her sister. All that she could have done.

“Mi Amore Cadenza,” spoke Luna with a smirk on her face. She had barged into the throne room. Her eyes were fixed upon another alicorn, an alicorn with a light grayish cerise coat and deep purple rimmed eyes. The third one known to existence and lived under the honorable title of being the princess of love. A thing Luna never truly understood. “I suppose it is time then?”

“Aunt Luna, been such a while, hasn't it?” the violet, gold and rose maned mare spoke with a smile and moved in for the nuzzle. “But yes, the time is there.” Luna returned the nuzzle and nodded to the words she received. Finally there would be some action for her to just enjoy.

“What do you purpose as our battle plan, Cadence?” the mare of the night said in curiosity.

“Well,” the third alicorn began after she stopped nuzzling her aunt and turned over to Celestia herself. "Nothing can lighten up his heart so the best opportunity we have, is to battle him. But not with armies. His crystal magic is one of the most powerful I have ever seen. No, it should be the three of us that have to take him out. To prevent any casualties in great numbers.”

“Getting feisty, my little niece? This is hardly how I know you,” said Luna with a chuckle. She made her way up to Celestia next.

“There isn't any other way, aunt. He enslaved my ponies, the crystal heart isn't shining anymore. I, can, prevent things from happening. But that means sacrificing my own pureness. All of my energy within the crystal heart, it will keep me alive, but makes me mortal. Unlike the two of you.” Cadence replied under a sigh. The plan was ridiculous without a doubt but it might have been crazy enough to actually work.

“So, you want to give up your own immortality, to save the Empire, is that correct?” Celestia said with a raised eyebrow towards the idea. It wasn't something which she truly expected to come out of the mouth of her niece. Yet she was the one who had peace with it.

“That, is correct, aunt. As long as you cast an age reversal spell on me that will set me back to a filly when I reach the age of dying,” replied Cadence to the words, “then it should all work out.” She had rather chosen another way, but they simply weren't. The decision was the best option they had.

“Are you, I don’t know, mentally sane!?” Luna shouted up towards her. She understood the dangers of the magic the two could cast. One small mistake and Cadence was gone. Unborn or dead on the spot. Luna found that the risks were too great to prosecute the actions.

“This has to be done this way! If that heart doesn't glow, the entire Empire is good for nothing! That heart is what makes it so powerful. And it will be that that shines upon it. Without it, it’s nothing except gems ready to be picked up by any salvager. Do you understand me here, aunts? And, who knows, maybe there is a way to regain my true immortality again,” spoke Cadence before she turned herself around and looked out through the window. “It’s my only chance...”

The two sisters nodded to one another and they spread their wings. For the first time in a long, long time they would go to war with a force darker than anything they had ever seen. A force that was nearly unstoppable yet they had the tricks up their sleeve in order to do so.

---

Hours went by and they turned into days which on their turn turned into a week before the trio could be seen flying through the skies. They had left the Empire after the battle had taken place. And Cadence was no longer the true same mare she was before they went on the trip. For she had given up her own immortality to keep the crystal heart going, to keep it shining over her ponies. But the magical powers of the terribly tyrant of Sombra which went combined with the depressions of its citizens had a nasty and unforeseen side effect. The heart couldn't be saved and the sisters of night and day had to take it over from their niece. And with their powers combined, they managed to banish the stallion into the ice of the Frozen North itself.

But the stallion wasn't a fool either. Somewhere in the mere seconds before he got locked away into the icy prison, there where he would spend an eternity, Sombra managed to put a curse on the Empire. A curse that made it vanish into thin air. Never to be seen again, or so he wanted.

The three mares were devastated by the loss of the Empire and decided to never speak of it again as long as it remained untraceable. It would remain a mystery of the Equestrian legacy but all three of them knew one thing more than well. The fact remained that one day it would return to the land and then it would be the time to defeat the wicked king once and for all. But the darkness with what the stallion ruled the lands, had left a rather big impact on Luna. Even though she never wanted to admit it, she did like the manner he held his hooves around the subjects in an iron hold. It was just seconds she had seen it, but that was only for the better.

Of course the force that was haunting through her mind also helped a lot with it. For the force inside her head was slowly forming itself into an alter ego. A beast that would be lurking for the right moment to strike. Waiting within the darkest parts of her mind. Feeding itself off of the hatred that Luna had been building up over the years.

As they flew back to Canterlot it was Luna who separated herself from the company and went her own way. Thus it was up to Celestia to comfort the heartbroken and powerless Cadence. Even though Sombra was locked away, he still won the battle. That very thought would fuel the mortal alicorn until their next encounter. An encounter that would be a thousand years in the future. She would reclaim what she was one way or the other. Not to mention that she would restore the Empire into its former glory and status.

---

The princess of the night landed once again in the dead courtyard from the castle she had visited days ago and she tucked her wings against her body. Her eyes slowly went over the deceased sight to be seen and her eyes closed themselves a bit. Every flowers was gone thanks to the gears of time, not a single leaf grew on the trees. Under the sounds of a sigh she turned herself over to the broken down gates of the castle. Within the walls everything was shrouded within the darkness of the night.

Luna charged up her horn to create a source of light within the walls. Her eyes watched over that was there to be seen. She carefully walked down the main hallways and allowed her eyes to fall upon the many paintings there were to be seen. Painting that had versions of the unicorn princess as a mighty ruler as well as a soft hearted pony despite the harsh conditions her subjects lived in.

“Still got more worshiped then I do,” muttered Luna to herself. She proceeded up to the throne room. She ventured down the hallway and then came before the broken down majestic doors that led over to the throne room.

Without a second thought that crossed her mind, she just entered it and gave her eyes the time to look at that was to be seen. A broken down room that was stripped away from all of its values was there to be seen. But also it resembled the room her sister and herself sat on their daily bases. “So this is where they got the inspiration from,” spoke Luna softly before she walked up to the throne. Her hooves didn't wore her signature glass hoof shoes and she was thus barehoof on the near ancient grounds.

The more she approached the throne itself, the more a cloud of darkness formed itself on the original chair of Platinum. “What in the name of..?” she spoke up in a soft mumble to herself as her eyes narrowed themselves. Her horn was still charged and thus the only source of light within the room but even that light fell into the nothingness of the black hole that emerged before her.

After the passage of a few seconds there was a set of cat like eyes that opened themselves within the shadows. The eyes themselves were more than enough to make her recognize them deeply. It were the eyes that had been plaguing her in her dreams for years. “You,” she spoke in a growling tone before Luna lowered herself through her forelegs. She assumed a battle ready pose and her wings spread themselves to make an intimidating posture. “What do you want this time?” she asked towards it and her eyes kept themselves narrowed.

There was something different however and the princess could be feeling that very fact. Where it normally would catch her within her dreams, she was wide awake by then. Certain things within the equation caused different variables to clash against one another within the calculating mind of Luna.

“I don’t desire that much from you, except your attention,” a voice that sounded like a much darker version of the princess’ echoed softly through the room. “Sit down and listen.”

“What makes you think I am that foolish?” Luna spoke in response as one of her eyebrows rose itself up in curiosity.

“Because, foal, there are a few little things which I wish to show you and if you listen to me, I shall explain them to you,” the voice within the darkness plainly replied.

“Fine then, have it your way,” said Luna before she lowered her behind to the ground and assumed a sitting position. She dropped her levels of harmony within her body and it was the action that caused her mane to turn back normal. To its non flowing, hairy state. “...I shall listen.”

“Hmhmhm, wise filly,” the voice replied under a dark chuckle, “to business then. I know you have been looking up against your sister for years now. All the fame and worship she had gotten to her, all the subjects that praise her like a goddess for her deed of raising the sun. But what do you get for raising the moon and removing the dreadful twilight?”

“I,I get nothing, except the nightmares it gives them...” Luna spoke up as her point of defense. Though unknown to her was that the darkness didn't originate from behind the throne. For the fact was that it came from her horn. Invisible to her eyes and numb through her body due to the harmony levels being drops. She was projecting the very thing that had haunted her mind like a motion picture.

“Exactly. But what if you could change it? Make them worship the night as they are supposed to be doing it?” the voice spoke up in a persuading tone.

“That, that is possible?” Luna asked out of sheer curiosity. If the being before her was right to her, the option of ruling the night with so much more joy would finally be an option for her. Never would she just stand in the shadows of Celestia again. Never would she be considered a seat warmer again. In her heart she was happy, but in her mind she questioned the terms the being would handle.

But as per usual had her heart managed to win it over her mind. Her eyes twinkled a little bit from the words spoken as they had opened themselves widely. “Can you, make it possible?”

The voice released another deep chuckle which slowly died down to just the dark voice itself again, “no Luna. I can not make it possible. But we can. Together we can give the very thing that it is you desire deep within your heart. All I ask in return is nothing but a rather simple thing. But do you accept my offer to make the night last longer or even, forever?”

Luna was simply unable to hold her joy for any longer as the voice finished the spoken words. “Yes, yes I accept the offer! Anything to make them love me more. Anything to make them worship the being I actually am!” she replied in a joyful tone. But below that, there was the cry of desperation to be found. A smile of utmost glee managed to form itself on her face and she closed her eyes.

The darkness had a bit of different plans all together. It saw Luna as a vessel for itself. A host of which it was able to consume rage and internal suffer. When the princess had her eyes closed, the darkness saw its chance and it rushed back and over to the horn of Luna. What happened next would be the first step into the decaying of princess Luna as a being of harmony. Yet it was also the first step of the raise for her as a monster of destruction and power.

The darkness swirled around the lit up horn, it mixed itself with the flow of magic and thus was brought through every part of her body. It was free from the mind and able to take control whenever it wanted. The darkness and the princess merged together with one another like they were a jigsaw puzzle. Luna coughed a couple times. There was some of the darkness that was stuck in her throat. After a loud spit on the ground was it revealed that the very thing that left her body was a thing that was simply known as liquid shadow, a substance that looked like black tar but less sticky.

Luna glared over it in utter surprise before a power surge went through her brain. A surge that was powerful enough to knock her into a different reality. A reality where she would live in from that day on. Her irises closed themselves in a sideways manner which created a set of cat-like irises. And those irises were only visible for a mere second. Then they turned back to normal and Luna shook her head a couple times. “Ugh, that, what am I even doing here?” she questioned herself. During the surge, some of her memory had faded away including the meeting she had with the being and even the reason of why she came down there.

It was the perfect cover up for the being that took over her mind and body. Over the course of time it would mix with the personality of the royal before the truth of the beings deeds became known. And the land of Equestria itself had all the reasons to fear the lunar princess.

---

Luna flew back to the royal castle and landed on the balcony that was connected to the throne room. Celestia herself could be found sitting on the throne with a worried gaze as her own mane were the pink one she used to have as a filly. Her eyes laid themselves upon the landing pony and she released another deep sigh. “Sister, my sister,” she whispered to herself.

The princess of the night then entered the throne room with an unusual grace. A grace that was even odd to Celestia. “Tia, could you come with me, please? I have some matters I want to discuss with you,” she spoke up to her sister. The elder alicorn gave a nod in an understanding way and left her place from the throne.

The two of them left the throne room as a whole and ventured through the many hallways of the castle. And as the doors fell shut it was Luna who spoke up first. “Sister, I have been thinking lately, especially today. As you know, our subjects worship you even more than they do me. It is time to bring a change to that. I have a proposal that I would like to hear your agreement about.”

“I first would like to know just what the proposal you have come up with, my dear sister,” replied Celestia in a sisterly manner. Her eyes laid themselves first on her sister before they went over through the windows of the hall. Within her eyes she caught the statue garden and once again she was reminded of her mistakes in the past. She released another sigh before her eyes turned themselves back.

“I want that the night lasts longer, sister. So that our subjects will not only worship you, but also me,” Luna boldly stated.

The eyes of Celestia widened as big as possible and she shook her head deeply afterward. In her mind she tried to understand the very reasoning of her sister for such a proposal. But as the seconds passed by, she found herself unable to discover them. “W-Why would you ask me such a thing my sister? The day and night are meant to last for eleven hours and fifty minutes. In the twenty minutes that remain are for us both to raise the sun or moon,” she spoke up as her defense.

“You don’t understand it, do you?” Luna growled to her sister. “You are hailed like a goddess! I am nothing more but a seat warmer in their eyes! But if the night lasts longer they will understand the importance of the night!”

“Luna, the words you are speaking to me right now are nothing more but gains of power for your own good!” Celestia snarled back, “we were meant to rule like sisters. I would do the day, you took the night. That is what we promised Mother and Father. The night will not last longer, Luna. It will remain as it always has been. Eleven hours and fifty minutes. So then we stand equal to each other and our subjects won’t go crazy over the differences.”

“You are blinded and afraid, Tia! You fear that if the night lasts longer, they won’t worship you as you are used to. You love their attention and want to keep it all to yourself!” Luna snarled back to her sister. It had been ages since the two had an argument like they had with one another. But everything was set into motion by the dark force that had nestled itself deep within the heart of Luna. And that force, was the greatest threat of all.

“I am neither blinded nor afraid Luna. And that what you are speaking to me is utter insanity! Now if you will be so kind to excuse me, I am going to bed,” said Celestia while she looked deep into the eyes of her sister. "And I suggest that you calm that head of yours."

Yet Luna looked back with a gaze that was colder than the stone where Discord was imprisoned in. The younger alicorn opened her mouth in order to speak her words. “You are excused, but consider that what I have said during your sleep. You know I am right sister.”

“Ugh, seriously here, Luna? Are you actually serious about making the night last longer?” she spoke up under a deep sigh. “Since when are you out of your mind?”

“Out of my mind, sister? Hahaha! I am not the insane one here Tia, I am the one who sees how the word actually works.”

“Enough! I have had it with your words,” Celestia replied in an angry tone. After that, she just left the hallway and walked up to her own bedroom. The elder alicorn sister was in the need to get her much needed sleep and she needed it badly.

But Luna on the other end had a set of different plans on her mind. She turned herself around and took a steady pace through the castle. Along the way she encountered some of the guards and she gave them all looks that made the shivers go down her spine. Celestial or lunar would all received the same treatment.

In the end sat Luna down on the throne and her eyes closed themselves for a moment as a smirk formed itself upon her face. But behind the eyelids it were the cat-like irises that formed themselves again. The being didn't actually took over the body of its host but merged together with it. The being that haunted her dreams was still clustering itself in the soul of Luna.

If you don’t accept my offer, the night shall last forever, Celestia. And then they will know just who is the supreme ruler of the land, she thought to herself. A being the lives under a different name then Luna...

Chapter 3

The greatest of battles are decided at the moment before they actually begin

In the calm before the storm, the deciding moment is being made

The one who is smarter at the moment shall become victorious

Even if it means a retreat

As Celestia walked down the hallways of the castle with a slight grumble in her tone and steps was the offer that Luna purposed something that baffled her. It was something that was just so ridiculous that she couldn't even believe that her own flesh and blood had asked something the like from her.

The guards that the princess passed all greeted her respectfully, but she never returned it because the fact that she happened to be too much in thought of her own. Boatloads of them simply entered her mind but also left them. Her mouth opened and closed itself as if she was talking but not a single word was audible for any of the Celestial guards that were still upon the watch in the wing of the castle that was just for Celestia.

The princess entered a hallway that shone almost like the sun itself. Gold and all sorts of yellow were the most dominant coloring within it accompanied with a lovable white that decorated the walls. But the elder sister had no eye for it. Instead she simply passed through the hallway and undid herself slowly from her attire.

That was done with one thing in mind and that being that she could just drop herself down in the bed and get some of her much needed rest. Whether she liked it or not, the matter with her younger sister was wearing upon her mind, not to mention the whole fact that she also had to take care of her niece.

A deep sigh left the mighty alicorn of the sun. The door to her bedroom opened themselves up with the help of her magic and her glorious room was revealed. A room that would later be used to receive letters from many ponies, including future personal students that would stay on her side. But that was better to be left a worry for later. A lot later in fact.

The matters were constantly swirling through her head alone were something that could give any other pony a headache nearly on the spot. When she walked into her bedroom, the crown, crest piece and the hoof shoes were all levitated to their regular resting places. Yet while she set her attire aside turned the mane of the mare back to its natural pink coloring and became just what it always had been, hair.

Celestia allowed the doors to be closed behind her. She dropped her body right upon the blankets of her bed. A deep sigh left through her nose as her eyes stared at the window. A window that had a wonderful view over the remainders of the castle and not to forget the canyon with the near never ending plains.

“Luna, oh Luna, why would you come to me with such a proposal? Have you not learned anything from our visit to the Empire? Have you learned nothing from the words yelled..?” Celestia mumbled up to herself as she stared out into the darkness of the night. Almost like a black hole did the world appear outside of the window. Yet there were some spots that were clear to be seen thanks to the light of nothing else than the moon.

---

For the moon shone down upon the edge that separated the plains from the fearful woods of Everfree. For minutes had the alicorn of the sun continued to stare into the darkness of night. Her eyes had the endless gaze within them and in her mind she was looking for answers in whatever way towards her questions. She tried through looking, to see in the mind of her sister. To see just what strain of thought caused her to come up with the offer she had made. With kind of madness and delusions were driving the once so lively and carefree filly over the lands. She tried to wrap her head around all of it.

Yet the longer she stared into the void of black, the more questions arose within her then that were actually answered. With another deep sigh and small charge of her horn was the curtain dropped before the open window and extinguished the lights of the candles that lit her bedroom. She was exhausted from her thoughts and her muscles were sore. “A good night of rest, helps out a lot,” the princess spoke to herself before her room was completely indulged with nothing but just complete darkness.

Celestia curled up upon herself to form a ball of white and pink fur before her eyes would finally close themselves off from the world and let her travel through the realms of the dreams. But the dreams she would be getting that night were no dreams at all. They would have been memories she was forced to live once again. Memories that were not pleasant in the least bit of the word.

Memories of events that hadn't happened all too long ago and thus were not given a place in her mind. Leaving them perfectly open to just haunt through the mind of the mighty alicorn. An alicorn who at the moment was nothing more but a defenseless foal. A foal that would be suffering a nightmare to a degree it never had been through.

Countless times had Celestia proven herself together with her sister to be worthy of the crowns they carried. But far up in the north, the sisters and their niece had met their devilish equal. They met that in the form of a unicorn stallion who had managed to get the hold of power by knocking the third alicorn off of the throne and taking it for himself.

And from that moment on, all hell within the empire broke lose. For the stallion ruled with a black heart and iron hoof, literally. The princess turned and twisted a couple times before she spoke up one word within her sleep. And that word being the name of nopony else then, “Sombra...”

---

There they flew, soaring mighty through the skies and racing in between the clouds. A mare of white, a mare of blue and a mare of pink. The three immortal alicorns of Equestria were heading for the place that was simply known as: the Frozen North. A place where the wind was always chill, the temperature always freezing and snow was everywhere to be found. The fridge of the land, it was often called. But somewhere in that fridge laid a kingdom that was once holding nopony else then the princess of love upon the throne.

Yet to her lovable reign came an end when a stallion did a coup to the power. The two of them fought with their respectable elements and gave everything they got. Cadence tried to cure the heart of the monstrous stallion, where he tried to corrupt hers. A true battle of titans erupted in between the two. A battle that would eventually cost her the kingdom.

It would be Cadence who lost the battle the moment she knew his heart couldn't be cured. The kingdom was lost and transformed into an empire where only this wicket stallion would rule over. Whether it was liked or not. Of course there was resistance within the empire itself. But every kind of opposition was utterly destroyed by the stallion’s black heart. Even the whole kingdom changed from bright and differently colored to a black one. The crystals all turned into different shades of black and became more pointier. Much like the thorns that laid around the heart of the stallion that called himself Sombra.

Or so was the story as it was told by Cadence herself before she had to make a run for it. A run that admitted her defeat in the first round but opened the possibilities for a second one. A thing which the newly found king of the empire knew all too well. He looked her right in the eyes as the saddened princess turned herself around for the last time to say her prayers in silence.

From the lovable look that she always carried was nothing over except a burning passion for his defeat and the well being of her subjects, the crystal ponies themselves. And he returned the look with one filled with hatred for her. A hatred that she had never seen in the eyes of anypony else. A hatred that was growing secretly also within one of them. Even better said, in one of her aunts.

While the three of them flew through the air, they came closer and closer towards the crystal castle and both Celestia and Luna were struck with the horror that was to be seen in their eyes. “Impossible,” the princess of the sun spoke up in a soft tone.

Even from the distance it could be seen and felt. The unhappy lives of the ponies, the tremendous amounts of work that they had to move for this wicked king. Countless ponies that were hauling carts with even more gems as black as the night. “This... This is what has become from my kingdom aunts. I, failed the both of you,” Cadence softly spoke as she wanted to separate herself from the group already.

“You didn't fail yet, my niece,” said Luna to her, “the simple fact is that he can be defeated. And then the throne shall be for you again. Go, go to the heart and give it everything you have. Reclaim that what is rightfully yours.”

Cadence nodded to the words and then she rocketed off into the skies. The alicorn of love headed straight for the highest tower were the mythical crystal heart was stored. Hidden away in a prison of dark and enchanted gems, all too keep it away from nosy ponies much like the princess.

Celestia looked how her niece went further up into the skies whereas the two of them descended to land upon the balcony of the castle and finally face the merciless king. The grayish magenta eye of her looked upon her younger sister before she spoke her words of worry. “Luna, do you really think that a head on attack is going to be the best? Perhaps we can talk it out, give him a piece of land to rule over.” If there was one thing that Celestia hated the most, it was using violence to defeat her enemies. The alicorn of the sun rather spoke it out with all the beings she encountered then giving them a smack in the face.

It were exactly those words did the thing that Luna feared the most to come. Where Celestia was talk, Luna was action. But being the elder sister came with a perk, she was always right. Luna knew that her sister would continue to ask the question up to the point in which she finally would agree upon her. So there was little choice for the alicorn of the night to begin with. She could only pray he didn't want to talk to them.

“Glad you understand,” replied Celestia after Luna let out a small groan of utter discomfort. A groan which the elder sister was used too if the younger one was to agree with something against her will. Celestia knew every little tick and quirk that Luna had when it came to body language.

“And now get your filthy flanks out of my throne room!” a voice among the darkness spoke up. A deep, echoing, howling and mostly unpleasant tone was given to somepony before the sad clattering of the hooves could be heard. And then it were the royals who made their touchdown upon the balcony, having heard all of the words.

Luna smirked like the little devil she could be. Even before her sister could interfere, she walked towards the darkness of the throne. “You know, that is not a manner to talk to your beautiful subjects, king.” she spoke up in a taunting tone. If Celestia wanted to talk to this menace, Luna would give the words in her own manner.

“Ahh,” the voice spoke up from the dark, “the infamous alicorn of the night. What brings a mare of your caliber to my, humble domain?” The more Luna walked inward, the more there was revealed of this tyrannical king. His smoking eyes of green and red, the black waving mane and above all, the red glowing horn of power. A horn that had curled itself up ever so gently, a signal that he was unable to keep all of the power within it.

“I don’t know, your castle, land and throne perhaps?” Luna replied with a small grin upon her face. It was also unexplainable for her but she was almost being attracted by the darkness that soared through the stallion. She silently fell in love, with him. For her it was love on first sight, even though half of the face and body were shrouded within the darkness.

The stallion erupted out in a deep snicker at the spoken words and had to wipe away a tear from his eyes. “You truly are one for the jokes. Perhaps I can find usage of you as a court jester. Since the last one had an, unfortunate, fall of the balcony.”

“Pushed?” Luna asked just before she rose one of her eyebrows up in a gentle motion.

“Most likely,” Sombra returned to her with a smirk.

It was truly unexplainable for either of them at that point in time. But they had to focus upon the fact that they were sworn enemies of one another. Luna came there to destroy him, not to ask him for a marriage or to be his marefriend.

And then finally Celestia walked into the room with a stern look in her visible eye. She had enough of the two of them talking and wanted to go down right to business. “Excuse me for just dropping in like this, but you sire, you claimed this throne from the princess of love without being chosen to do so. You are a criminal and thus you shall be handled like that.”

With the speaking of those words, both Luna and Sombra knew the fun was over and the war had to be waged between the two. The darkness that raced through their hearts, made it unable for them to stay together.

“Then so be it, princess of the sun!” Sombra yelled before he charged up his horn with the black and green aura. Luna and Celestia had no idea just what they could possibly expect from the magic he called upon, but they knew it was bad.

But during his charge, the stallion suddenly glanced up to the ceiling of the room and growled darkly. Ever so slowly did his head fall back down and a smirk stood upon his face. “You thought to be smart, didn't you? Sending the previous ruler of this land to get the heart, you really think I am that stupid!?” Then he released all of the magic that was stored within his horn.

One massive beam of black, green and violet raced through the throne room. Everything it touched created columns of dark crystal before it shot up into the air. Luna and Celestia were genuinely surprised by the amount of power that the stallion could produce and knew they had to seek it up higher, if they wanted to escape being crystallized for eternity. And they literally had to look up higher.

The two of them made a run towards the doorway of the balcony. But within their eyes they caught the crystals that kept growing and growing to block their paths. “Now!” Celestia shouted all of the sudden. In response they left the king baffled and they both took a leap into the air. The princesses could only pray upon the facts as they were and hoped that the crystal wasn't thick enough to block their passage.

Much to their own surprise and that of the king made the two alicorns their way through the crystal curtain without much trouble. The two of them flew back up in the air and were followed up by the king of the empire hot in their trails. He rushed through the curtain as well and charged his horn up for a new spell to be fired. “Neither of you two shall escape me!” he snarled to the airborne alicorns. His eyes stood smoked even more. He would have shot them straight out of the skies.

“That, is where you are wrong. For your acts against the Equestrian crown, there is only one thing we can sentence you to,” said Celestia to him. Her horn coated itself within the golden aura. Luna followed the example as she knew that spell she needed to use and allowed her horn to sink itself within the cobalt blue light.

“The death sentence? Go ahead, end my life!” he shouted over to them as he paced up and down over on the balcony floor. But the king himself wasn't stupid, he knew he wouldn't die there. And as long as he kept his own charge with him, that would stay that way. Instead he changed his plans of attack and moved over to a defense maneuver. A maneuver that was cruel and cold. A maneuver that happened to be one neither of the alicorns could ever see from him.

Luna’s eyes moved themselves over to the clouded top of the tower and she could see that Cadence was making her return from it. She didn't seem to be all too happy or normal for that manner. Something over on the tower had happened to her that made her pay a price much higher than she originally had wanted.

“No.” Celestia’s voice boomed through the air as both the sun and the moon gently made their appearance on the skies. The rumble that was created by the two heavenly objects were fuel for the royal their horns and it created a crack in the day, for one half was light and the other was dark. Together they released a charge more powerful than anything else in the land. A charge that was so powerful, that it would banish the king into the icy pits of the landscape. "You shall have to cool down with that inflated mind of yours! For the coming millennium you shall be trapped within the icy caverns for the North!"

The only problem happened to be that it was a slow beam. A beam that gave the stallion more than enough time to cast his own spell over his empire. In silence and from behind the charge could the two royals witness how all of the energy of Sombra moved itself from him. It started to stream down his body from every possible side and eventually would just drip down the sides of the balcony. He appeared to have been gone, banished to the depths of Tartarus for all Luna knew.

And then the charge made its massive impact. The unicorn king named Sombra was sentenced for his betrayal into the thick eyes of the Frozen North where he would suffer a thousand years to come. But as he left, so did the empire. The whole empire went just up in a black smoke, following its ruler into the icy and stone cold depths of darkness. Leaving the two alicorn royals both baffled and shocked.

---

And that shame shock caused Celestia to open her eyes again in the middle of the night. Wide awake she was and unable to continue her much needed rest. She let out a groan of annoyance and turned herself around in her bed and tried to sleep once again.

Author's Note

Fun fact: This was supposed to be chapter 2,5 but got too big to be called that.

Chapter 4

The forges of rage burn on the embers of hatred

But the metal forged, can be a platinum of hope

If the process is done well enough

Luna growled deep to herself when she sat behind the desk that was located within her very own bedroom. The time had progressed by a several weeks after the offer was made but there never was a definitive answer on it. In her mind there still was the struggle between her true self and the nightmare image of herself. But the voices within her head always seemed to be persuading her over. She wanted to be worshiped more. She wanted to become the princess she always desired to be. But that was the plan of the being within her heart. Using her for its own good and let Equestria fall into eternal darkness.

But Luna was weak in a sense of the word. Of course she was physically considerable stronger than her sister, but emotionally she happened to be a complete and utter wreck. She never had been truly able to process the disappearance of her parents when they were crowned and it all contributed to her rage and overall sadness. If not being the greatest or even the very cause of it.

The eyes of the young princess laid themselves before the very papers she was working on too deep in the afternoon. Tomes of spells got written down together with countless equations and other statistics. Entire graphs were made on them to show the effectiveness of a spell compared to its charging time. Celestia often spoke it as a joke that her brain was replaced with a machine, for not even she was that smart.

Luna’s eyes closed themselves gently as she began to speak her words of doubt in a whispering tone. “Am I, really going to be doing the right thing here? Building such a weapon of destruction for...what? To proof that my very own sister is wrong?” Her tone rose itself up in a much darker version of it and she continued to speak. “It is the only thing that will be able to give you, to give us, what you wanted. Now quit your moaning and continue on it. Please.”

Almost as if it was a command had Luna returned to her work. Her horn charged itself again and she levitated a quill over. The quill itself started to draw the lines of an amulet in the form of the wings of a pegasus on the outside and the head of a unicorn on top. In the center piece there would be place for a gem the size of a normal pony's pupil. The gem itself would be magically enchanted by nopony else, than herself.

Her eyes allowed themselves to gaze over the drawing as they flashed over to the cat like irises and she continued to speak in the dark tone. “Yes, it is perfect,” it spoke before her eyes turned back to normal again. Luna shook her head and reached for it with a hoof in order to rub it.

An uncomfortable moan of utter discomfort left her mouth as her eyelids fell shut again. “Curse these headaches,” she muttered in herself. Little was known to Luna herself though. She didn’t even knew that she had a split personality. The kind and considerable jealous sister and the being that spoke in the dark voice were in fact two different beings, yet they were merged together into one physical body. A schizophrenic was what she could be classified as. A terribly dangerous one at that as her darker side wanted and was on its way to overthrow the kind side of the princess.

Luna finished up the drawings and all the equations she had been working on. With one final charge of her horn did she place everything on one stack and let it rest upon her desk as it was. Under the sounds of a deep sigh she removed herself from her desk and a loud yawn left her mouth as she dropped herself on her bed.

“Ugh, one small nap before raising the moon could do no harm,” she mumbled to herself. Her eyes looked out to the window in order to see the late afternoon for what it was. With her horn still charged were the curtains of her room closed and thus she allowed the room to shroud itself within the darkness once again. The darkness was what her other side preferred so much more then the light of the sun. Luna discharged her horn and closed her eyes. The energy of the horn traveled in all directions like sparks before they disappeared out of existence.

Soon enough she found herself deeply asleep on her bed. Her snoring was a gentle one and her breathing soft. She traveled deep in her mind and was granted to live within her dreams for the time being. Dreams of fun and pleasure that would stay that way, or so she hoped.

---

Celestia found herself on the throne of the castle and gave her visible eye the time to look around the room. The chandeliers and candles shone their lights as the sun almost had disappeared behind the hills. “Where are you sister?” she questioned to herself aloud. Her mane was flowing as graceful as ever. The guards the stood in the room looked at each other before they turned their attention back to her. All of their eyes gently rested upon the royal, awaiting what would happen.

“Word had it from the marching troops that she was working until an hour or two ago,” one of the guards spoke in a deep, male voice. He had made his way up to the throne. As he reached the footing of the elevated chair, he bowed down through his forelegs in a respectful manner.

“Arise commander Blitzwing,” replied Celestia to him, “and tell me what you know, please.”

“As you wish, my princess,” answered Blitzwing. His head rose itself up. He was to be revealed as a tough pegasus guard with a grayish white coat and navel blue mane. Yet as impressive as he looked within his armor, it were the two scars that over his left eye. They were the result of the stallion's rather unfortunate encounter with a Lunar Guard that went rogue. The commander was one of the very first ponies who met the powerful claws of the durga firsthoof. Even though he had encountered the full power, his eyesight was still near perfect. It was truly a thing that surprised the doctors who treated him.

His wings spread themselves and were just looking powerful but during that same encounter one has been left terribly injured. “The princess of the moon has been working until two hours ago. What or why is still unknown to me, never was told to me. I can only hope she is alright,” he mostly repeated before Celestia.That was all the information that was known to him though.

“A wish we both have for my sister then. Commander Blitzwing, you are dismissed. Return to your bunk and get some sleep yourself, you look like you need it,” said Celestia with a thankful and caring tone. The princess was more than right on that fact. The commander was always busy from the early morning to deep in the night. Ever since his defeat against the rough guard, he had sworn a couple things to mostly himself. And he made sure that the happened events wouldn't happen to him again or any of the cadets that fell under his squadron.

The stallion bowed in silence before the princess and he turned himself around. Blitzwing left the room without a single word. Celestia watched him go as he went and she gave a small smile off. “You're a good stallion, Blitz,” she mumbled to herself after he had disappeared out of the room.

---

Blitzwing continued on his patrol through the castle, but everything seemed to just point him over to the lunar wing. The very wing where not only princess Luna had taken her residence, but also the same one where he gained his injuries. The more he walked into the direction and through its halls, the more his mind brought up the memories of that what happened to him.

He tried to shake it off of himself. He kept walking through the hallways of the lunar wing. But it didn't matter where he went or thought about. There was always the memory of the battle he fought within the very castle walls. Blitzwing growled and muttered inaudible to himself in response to it. The memories had haunted him ever since it happened. A trauma he never fully recovered of.

The stallion went through the many hallways that looked like both night and space itself. All of the walls were different shades of blue. They were varying from light blue like the waters of the sea, to dark blue as the skies in the early evening. Through the stained glass there was the faint moon to be seen. The moon itself, and it wasn't even raised by Luna but by Celestia. The halls themselves were lit up with faint torches as the lunar guard preferred the darkness to patrol on. Nonetheless he was still able to spot them clearly with his grass green eyes.

“Captain,” spoke Blitzwing when he walked passed by the most well known captain of the lunar guard: Warding Scale. A stallion who was even tougher than Blitzwing, or at least more muscular. To that day, Blitzwing wasn’t sure of the answer.

Warding gave him a faint smile as he saluted before the commander. “Wing,” he replied in his deep voice as the yellow cat eyes fell on Blitzwing. “What brings you here, if I may ask? Or are you just touring once again? See where you can avoid trouble?”

The commander returned the salute as one side of lips got pulled up to form a faint smile. “At ease, captain Scale. I am just here to give my mind some rest. princess her orders,” he replied.

“So you finally got something else in that coconut of yours. Heh, I'm actually surprised here,” replied Warding before he crossed the hallway to the side of Blitz. Yet he mostly did it to be out of the way if others had to pass. “And how did you even saw me, in this darkness no less?”

“Gotta heed her calls, right?” Blitz replied before he released a chuckle at the words. “How do you think I became a commander to begin with? Besides, your muscles aren't that difficult to spot.” He then gave a friendly punch in the shoulder of Warding.

“Hehe, true that on both matters. Never been one for stealth, as you know. I prefer straight up action anyways,” the captain replied to him. He didn't even stroked the spot where the hoof hit him. Instead his hoof went through the gray mane. “Remember that moon?” he spoke while he yellow eyes gazed out of the window and fell on the rock in the skies.

Blitzwing looked at it for a couple seconds before he gave a nod to the captain. “Aye, most terrible day of my life without a single doubt. The same moon that was there on the night she lost her mind.” He released a deep sigh as the sounds of the fight rang into his ears. The warnings he had given her which was followed up by the sounds of the metals clashing against one another.

“Good guard and gal, shame she lost her mind...” said Warding. He took his eyes off of the window and laid them back on Blitz. “Hey, you alright commander?” he asked in a questioning tone as the face of the other stallion was even whiter than it normally was. For he had hit the part in his mind where the blades of the durga ran across his face. For a moment did Blitz felt them again on his flesh. Those thunderous blade carving through him while they fought.

“Y-Yes. I, I am alright. Just, a little nerve that got caught between two things,” he replied while rubbing his forehead with a hoof.

Warding placed a hoof on the shoulder of Blitzwing and let out a deep sigh. He looked him deep in the eyes. “Go to bed, forget about her and try to get some sleep. The last thing your squadron is waiting for, is a commander out of shape. You need it, trust me,” he spoke in a kind and sympathetic tone as the smile returned to his face.

“You, you are probably right again, Warding, I do need some sleep. I, I’ll finish up the round and then it’s off to the bunk for me,” replied Blitz to him. He shook her head a little bit in the hope to lose the feeling. He then looked back to Warding who let him go.

“Then I shall not stand longer in your way. Good luck, and a good night,” the captain returned to him. He gave a nod with his eyes closed.

“I hope so my friend, I hope so. And I wish the same to you,” Blitz spoke to him. Afterwards he continued on his patrol through the lunar wing. Warding had one last look over to the commander before he also went on with his own patrol and delved into his own thoughts.

---

The more Blitz wandered through the halls however, the more realistic the thoughts became for him. Flashes before his eyes of the charged up claws that made their way over to him. He remembered the whole night as if it happened the day before. Unknown to the stallion was the fact that he had almost reached the bedroom of the lunar princess. Though his curiosity did got the better of him. He knew spying on one of the royal sisters was forbidden but if it was able to take his mind off of the vicious attack he found it worth the price. As silent as a manticore that walked up to its prey, he moved over to the door of the bedroom. That wonderful oaken door had always captured his imagination for some reason.

The stallion placed his ear against the wood and he started to listen to the sounds inside. Both of his eyes closed themselves from the world in an attempt to enhance the noises he could from the other side. At first he couldn't make out them out, but after a few second he heard everything perfectly. “But that’s not her voice,” Blitzwing whispered to himself. Seconds later had he removed his ear from the door. He looked around to see if there was a hiding spot somewhere in the near area. For behind the door he had heard the hoofsteps that came into his direction.

Without a warning that was given was the door flung open and Luna left her bedroom with the sounds of a growl. As she inhaled, her nose caught a scent that was new to her. Or at least unusual for the part of the castle that she owned. She took a couple more sniffs into the air and turned to her left. “Where are you?” the princess spoke in the darkened voice. She reached the first crossing of the hallways. She sniffed a couple more times before her attention was taken by the deeds she had to do. “We don’t have time for those games,” she spoke up to herself and turned herself around almost instantly.

Blitzwing’s heart was beating in his throat as her hoofsteps could still be heard but fainted away in the distance. “W-What in the, name of everything celestial,” he managed to bring out in a whisper to himself. Blitz dared to have a peek around and he was able to see the tail of the princess disappearing in a corner. “...Is going on here?” The commander proceeded to turn further around the corner and then he went out of his hiding spot. He passed the bedroom of the princess and noticed that the door was still open. Blitzwing had one peek inside in order to see if there was somepony else within it, but there was none.

He turned himself over to the hallway he saw her tail disappear into. “This is getting too fishy for me. First that odd voice, then the sniffing and now the departing. What are you hiding from us, princess?” he whispered again to himself. The stallion walked over to it and eventually into it. Blitz rose his pacing a bit in order to keep up with her. The hoofsteps of Luna could be heard and he followed her unnoticed through the halls of the castle. It was a good thing that he first went to his bunk and removed all of the clanky and heavy armor from his body.

---

After a passage of time, and several near captured times later, he stood before the closing doors that led to the forging area of the castle. All the armor and weaponry were forged by the massive furnaces that were powered by a magical fire that never required coals to burn. The Forgers –as the workers liked to call themselves– always worked in the hot and dangerous area were one simply mistake could deliver second degree burn marks almost instantly and without mercy. The walls used to be white but since the fires started to wage in the furnaces, they had turned into the color of the very sun. It created a spectacular play on it. One forgotten by the Forgers as they got used to it.

“What brings you here?” the stallion continued to whisper to himself. He slipped through the closing door. Blitzwing then found himself in the very heart of the castle, so to speak. With his eyes he spotted the royal but he never walked up to her and just kept himself hidden behind a set of weapon racks. He had a clear view on the events despite the low level he sat on.

The horn of Luna charged up and it the cobalt blue aura started to surround it as a sheet of metal was levitated into the air. The eyes of the alicorn got focused on it and a shape formed itself within it. Time didn't had to progress long before the remains of the sheet were removed. They were simply dumped to the side like the wastes they were.

All that was left was the cut sheet of metal that looked like a set of pegasus wings, a unicorn head with horn and a triangular shape. Three different sets of things, yet so much alike. Luna brought the form to her eyes and inspected it from all sides as a grin formed itself. “Perfect,” she spoke to herself and the metal forms got placed within the fires of a forge that stood close to her.

But when Luna turned herself back to the work table, her blue eyes got fixed right on the stacks where the stallion had hidden himself. When Blitz noticed she was actually looking at him, he started to fear the worst. The commander began to pray for his life to not being caught by her.

Luna sniffed a couple times once again before she released a growl into the thin air. Her attention then turned back to the bench before her and it appeared she broke out in a massive argument with herself. “We don’t care how we do it, but just do it!” she eventually shouted to herself. The hatred within that voice, that commanding tone, it never could have been Luna herself.

Taken by utmost surprise from the words and person there was spoken in, Blitz stroked his chin a bit as his own thoughts were running wild. “Schizophrenic? Don’t be ridiculous, Blitz. A princess of Equestria doesn't suffer that kind of disease, no, there is something else. There has to be,” he spoke in a silent tone as only his lips moved. His eyes got laid again the royal as he watched her doing again with his hawk eyes.

The mare of the night held a gem in her magical aura and she spoke her words in the darkened voice. “The Eye of the Dragon, the very gem that will hold all of the power.” Her horn suddenly gained a different kind of coloring. It turned from its cobalt blue one into a blood red one. But that wasn't the only chance that the stallion could see. For even her irises turned into the same red coloring. And to add even more salt to the open wound, there were words spoken in a tongue unknown to the ears of Blitzwing that took their turn through the air.

And then it happened. The magical charge made a connection to the gem, which on its turn got filled with it. But with what it exactly got filled was still unknown for the commander. He just kept himself silent on his spot for a bit longer.

“Finally, the Alicorn Amulet shall be ready and operational,” said Luna in the regular tongue as the stream of magic disconnected from the gem. She placed the Eye back on the table and turned over to the furnace where the pieces of metal laid in. Blitzwing saw his chance clean and just made a run for it. The commander had seen enough of what was going on. He had to warn the other princess of the potential danger that could be caused by the forging. An action done by the very sister of the celestial princess, trouble laid ahead and he knew it. The stallion made his way silently over to the door and left without a trace. That was, almost, without a trace.

In the end had Luna turned herself around just a few second after his departure and she sniffed the air again like a dog that picked up a scent. The mare followed her nose until the direction the smells came from until she stood by the weapon racks and a smirk formed itself. “This is not over, yet,” she spoke in the dark voice. After which she turned back to the forge.

---

“Oh Discord...” Celestia spoke to herself. She found herself on the throne. Her eyes were closed and she laid in a sleeping position on the throne. Given the absence of Luna, it was her job to rise the moon and stars to the skies for the night. Something that caused her extreme’s amount of magic she wasn’t used to. It made her weaker and thus more tired. The elder sister had traveled to a world of the past because of it. To one where everything was still peaceful and chaos only existed behind the dark stone walls of the far west.

A smile formed itself on her face as a single tear ran down her cheek. She remembered the times before he was the monster of her nightmares. The gentlecolt he was to her and the lover she always wished to have. How she snuggled up against him as the lands well known nightly storms erupted but also how she stroked his cheek on pleasant days by the lake. Those were times she would never forget, ever.

Peacefully she laid on the throne while her mane waved like it always had been doing. A true magnificent sight to behold. But her rest was soon to be destroyed as the commander was on his way. “Your Highness! Your Highness!” Blitzwing almost shouted as he barged into the throne room. All of the guards on duty in the room shocked up from the sudden raising in voice as Celestia herself opened her eyes, but as per usual, only one was to be seen.

“Yes?” The mare couldn't hold herself longer and let a deep yawn escape while her head rose itself up. “Commander Blitzwing? What’s the matter? Can’t sleep?” The elder sister released a gentle chuckle at her remark before her tone turned a bit more serious. “Blitz, go to sleep, you need it.”

“I do not! For I saw things just yet nopony else ever wants to see in their lives!” he spoke before the throne. All of the other guards looked oddly at each other before their attentions turned back to the events before the seating. “You have to know this your highness, before it’s too late. P-Permission to speak, miss?”

“Oh, this again..? Permission granted,” replied Celestia to him. She had to cover her mouth afterwards with a hoof to hide another yawn.

“Your sister is forging something down in the forges. And there was this gem she called the, the, the eye of...of something I can’t remember. But she blasted the thing with a beam of red magic. She, she may be plotting against you!” he managed to bring out through the nerves and fears of his own mind could have corrupted him.

Celestia’s ears caught all of the words he spoke. She couldn't do much else then just release a deep and well meant chuckle at them. “I do not wish to offend you, commander, but that my sister, my own flesh and blood is plotting against me seems highly unlikely. And she goes more than often to the forges as she loves to create her own armor. Shake it off of your shoulders, Blitzwing. Go to sleep for once. And just do it. You’ll be surprised by how well you feel after a good night’s rest. I’ll even tell your squadron that you take a day off tomorrow,” she spoke in her usual kind tone.

“W-What? No! You have to listen to me princess! I am speaking the truth here,” he pleaded in the faint hope that she would hear his warning. But it was all in vain. Celestia shook her head under another light chuckle. “Please, listen to me, your Highness.”

“No Blitz, you have been seeing things again,” she simply spoke in response.

---

In that moment was it the younger sister who walked into the room. She wore the fully constructed amulet on a chain around her neck. The gem in the middle shone its bright red coloring, but her eyes were still the normal blue one. Like a red and blue menace she just stood there as Blitzwing gulped deeply. “Oh no...” was the only thing that he could say.

Celestia was still skeptical about it all. She laid her eyes on her sister with an semi interested glance. “I was already wondering just where you had been this day. Rumors spoke you didn't got any sleep,” she said to her sister. Celestia would be fishing for information.

“That is correct, we didn't got any sleep and as you can see, we kept ourselves busy. But we am not here for chit chat. We want to discuss as you know it,” answered Luna in her normal tone. She walked up to the throne. But when she came closer, the scent she smelled by the weapon rack, lead her over to Blitzwing. You, she thought to herself as her eyes turned over to him before they laid back on Celestia. “Once again we purpose the offer to you, sister. We want the night to last longer.”

“Luna, we have discussed this countless times already! The night and day stay as long as they are. I have said it before and say it again, this is non-negotiable! Will you ever learn that simple fact?” answered Celestia to her. She rose up in a sitting position on the throne and stared Luna down.

“You are afraid, as always! You do not wish that you lose your precious subjects who worship you like a god. Because you aren't one! You are nothing but a rider of the tides,” Luna snarled back to her. Even Blitzwing could feel the harm that was done against Celestia.

“How do you dare to speak in such a tone, against your own sister? Your own flesh and blood no less!” the elder sister replied. Though she tried to fight back her own emotions.

“We all know who really should be sitting there, sister.” But all the wires in the head of Luna had been snapped by her alter ego as it had taken full control of her body. The amulet around her neck seemed to be having two purposes. The first one made the wearer stronger in magic. But it’s second purpose was a lot darker, for it would corrupt the wearer. In the case of the lunar princess, it would lure out the beast deep within her. A beast that knocked right on the front doors of Celestia's heart with a sledgehammer. “It was you who caused Mother and Father to die! You could have stopped them! But no, you didn't do that. You let them just die before both of our eyes! It is you who has committed the highest form of treason!” The further she spoke her words, the darker her tone got as Celestia shook her head in a disagreeable manner. The elder sister was mentally already denying every single word that was thrown at her.

“They did not, die, before us. They sacrificed their souls so we would rule the land. There is a reason why I don’t have entitled us queens, for the fact I want to honor the real king and queen.” Celestia spoke up as her eye never left Luna.

“See! It is your will again. Maybe I don’t want to be a puny princess, maybe I wish to be a queen? Ever thought about that?” Luna snarled back. “You are nothing but a selfish foal that is scared to see the reality of the situation!”

“Enough of this madness!” Celestia spoke in a booming voice all of the sudden. The sheer volume of the voice was loud enough to make cracks appear within the window of the throne room, all the other ponies to cover their ears. “Go to your room and think about your words! You have said more than enough harmful ones tonight then you did in your whole life! Get out of my eyes, now!”

“Afraid we have to disappoint you there, sister dear to us. For the nightmares have only just began. If you don’t grant what we want, then prepare to pay the price,” she spoke before her eyes fixed themselves on those of her sister. The darkness and madness within them could be read like an open book. The horrors of the beast were knocking against it, ready to be released.

“This... This is, outrageous,” spoke Celestia in a defeated voice. But little did she knew that the horror that would be coming next. It would surprise every single soul within the throne room.

Only mere seconds after she had spoken her words, Luna moaned and groaned in agony from a burning pain. One that began to rage deep within her heart. The coat of mare began to crack open like land would during an earthquake. All of the cracks filled themselves with the purest black ever to be seen by any pony that ever lived. It was only moments before the entire coat just shred itself apart and to pieces. All that remained was the darkness that declared its dominance.

Luna’s flowing mane became more misty and waved at an increased rate. The eyes turned from their normal pupils into a pair of cat-like ones. A new set of hoof shoes, a new crest piece and even a helmet appeared on her body. The exact same items she had been forging a couple weeks ago. Items that would be perfect for battle –if not an all out war.

The horn elongated itself as her teeth merged into razor sharp fangs. Even something thought that was impossible managed to happen in front of their very eyes. For even Luna's entire cutie mark got changed. From the splashes of black and the crescent moon, it got turned into a more purple and broken white version of it.

All of the changes happened under the painful screams of the real and severely weakened real princess of the night. For it was the monster in her mind that had taken full control over the body as well. And the roles were revealed as it was the young Luna that was sealed within her own heart. She could only to witness as the beast do its work.

The wings spread themselves and send liquid shadow all over the place. And with one flash of darkened light did the legs and body of Luna extended themselves into the size of Celestia. Who on her own turn looked in complete shock at everything. She wanted to charge, but that would mean she had to harm her sister. Something she would never forgive herself form.

And there it stood, in the throne room of Canterlot castle right before the princess of the sun. The completely changed princess of the night. Her coat had become as black as coal and her mane misty. The eyes looked like they were from an animal instead of those from a mare. The cat-like eyes fixed themselves once again Celestia as it spoke again in the darkened voice with a roar. “We are Nightmare Moon!”

Chapter 5

The demons that are found in the world never just had been there

They are created by a force unmatched so far

For they are made, by us

Whether we like it or not

While the being spoke its name right in front of them, both Celestia and Blitzwing glared in full horror to the events that had happened. It was there in reality, yet it seemed all so surreal. For Celestia it was the hardest hit of all. For weeks she had spoken to her little sister about the matter and that little sister had become a being of unspeakable darkness. Luna’s heart had become as black as coal and her eyes stared at the visible one of the princess of the sun as a deep smirk grew on her face.

Both of the ponies were both speechless and motionless. Neither of them were able to process the information they got on a short notice to act. Who were able to act, where the guards that stood on their watch. But they proved little of worth, for they only kept their lances and swords aimed towards Nightmare. The dark alicorn erupted out in a deep chuckle before she spoke her much desired words. The tone in which she spoke was a much darker voice than what normally left the mouth of Luna. “This is what you have created sister. This is the form you feared the most didn't you? This is where it all ends.”

Blitzwing was unsure of what to do at it all. His mind was conflicted. He knew that he had to attack, for the changed princess threatened Celestia. But in his heart he knew that the being was in fact Luna herself. Torn by the conflict that went on in his brain, he had no true idea of what to do. Yet without much thinking he drew his sword out of its sheath and pointed it to the dark alicorn. Even though he wore no armor to protect himself, he could still defend. His sword was something he never left behind in case something would happen. “You have no words to speak here, veil creature,” spoke Blitzwing in a brave tone towards Nightmare Moon. “Guards! Surround her, it!”

All of the guards that didn't had a clue of what they had to do, suddenly reformatted themselves to stand all around the being. With orders to guide them to actions, they knew what to do almost in an instant. But where they expected the being to do something, Nightmare did nothing in return except watching. With her cat-like, cyan irises, she just glared at the stallions before her. Her looks alone were indulging fear like no other being ever could do. It was through those kind of glares that none of them ever dared to attack her, for she did turned around on her spot.

In the end she faced the throne once more. The wings of Nightmare tucked back against her body and a small cloud of steam got released through her nose. With the amulet still around her neck did Blitzwing try to make the connection in his mind. “Is this the best you can do to contain us, sister? Are these puny mortals, the best way you wish to defense yourself? Are you really such a coward that you are not even willing to face us?” said Nightmare Moon in a taunting voice. She didn't move her head up to the other princess, but just her eyes. The cutting glare frightened Celestia.

“Hold your mouth, I said! Guards, carry it away. Lock it up in the dungeon for interrogation. There are a few words I wish to exchange to our, ex-excellency,” the commander spoke with a stern tone in his voice. When the order was given, the guards readied themselves to guide the beast over to the dungeon.

“No,” was suddenly spoken in the sweet but determined tone of Celestia herself, “she, stays here.” Words that had a massive impact on everypony. Though one stallion had no clue why.

The grayish white stallion turned himself around to face Celestia with a questioning look in his eyes. “W-With all due respect your highness, we possibly can’t keep this monster that just consumed the princess of the moon, right here in your presence, now can we?” Blitzwing pleaded for himself. When he was done, he looked back to Nightmare and then to Celestia again.

“Commander Wing, you shall do as you were being told, whether you like it or not. Guards, stand down and return to your posts,” the princess of the sun said. For all Celestia knew, she was digging her own grave. As ordered, the swords and lances went up again as all of the guards walked back to their posts with clapping knees. They had seen the gazes of hatred she gave off, the fear her eyes indulged within their bodies. None of them liked the decision of the princess, but it would be a lot better than that they had to carry the creature over to the dungeon.

“Your Highness, I do ins-”

“Oh hold your mouth!” Nightmare suddenly replied to him as she had grown angry of his words. “Let the lady decide the fate of this terrible beasty,” she added as an extra tease and taunt. “What’s it going to be, sister? Charge us, or release us over the land?”

Celestia let a deep sigh escape through her nostrils. Her eye closed itself off from the world for a moment. She didn't want to fight her younger sister. But the monster before her was everypony but her younger sister. Unsure of what to do, she then got a spark of inspiration and her eye revealed itself once again. It stared down the nightmarish alicorn as she stood up from the throne. “I shall deal with you, myself, Nightmare Moon,” she said in a just- and rightful tone. Both Blitzwing and the guards all looked up at her in the greatest of surprise.

---

For none of the beings within the room, not even Nightmare, could have predicted that the princess of the sun would go over to such drastic acts. But when the white alicorn stepped down from the throne, Nightmare erupted in laughter and took steps back as well. They created an area within them that was nothing but open. The battlefield would have been created.

Celestia continued to stare down to Nightmare as she spoke her words in a confident and clear voice. “I take it that you still remember the rules of the magic duel.”

“Hmhmha, I do. First one to get hit by the beam of the other, loses. The stakes?” Nightmare replied. She smirked like the devil she was. She knew that her amulet would almost ensure her the victory as it brought her enough power to defeat Celestia. If not overpower her. But there was a little catch to the amulet, for nopony had ever seen the white alicorn in her full power. Nopony knew just where the limit for her laid. Not even Luna knew of the true capabilities of her own sister.

“Good, then draw!” Celestia bellowed before she charged up her horn in the golden aura. She even rose on her hind legs. She wings spread themselves and the posture she gave off was one that looked like she was going to war.

Nightmare did the same just before she spoke the final words. “Fire!”

Two magic beams filled the room almost in an instant. A harmonious, golden one released by Celestia and a hellish, blue one by Nightmare. Where bits of light circulated around the blast of the white alicorn, bits of darkness went around the beam that originated from the dark one. The two beams clashed against one another in the middle of the room. A loud and roaring explosion was heard as the two opposing forces gave the other everything they had.

Nightmare wore of course the amulet which made her even stronger than she normally would have been. The dark alicorn even managed to push the beam of Celestia back, almost coming up to her face. But the mare wasn't from the day before though. She threw everything she had into battle to not lose from the monster that was once her sister.

“I, won’t, lose,” muttered Celestia to herself. She gave even more power to her horn. She drained the magic from everything around her, her heart, her mind, but also from the hope the guards had for her to win.

Speaking of them, none of the guards nor Blitzwing had the guts to even speak when the two titans clashed against each other. All the guards had just been gathering themselves against the backside of the room, the side which housed the great doors that led to the main hallway. Whereas Blitzwing just stood next to the throne, scared to death he was. In all his years of service had he never seen such an output of magic by any being.

Though where Celestia fed her beam with harmonious thoughts and hope, Nightmare powered her beam by the amulet, her dark heart but also the fear from the guards. All of them were truly feared Nightmare Moon. “Give it up Celestia, this is the end for you!” she snarled up.

“No, it is never over until the last mare falls,” she countered with a groan.

“Or, until the fat lady sings,” added Nightmare in a chuckle. She too added even more power to her beam. Tough it was the idiom that caught Celestia a bit of guard and Nightmare made great use of the opportunity. She gave everything she got and within two seconds she had obliterated the beam of Celestia. There wasn’t any time to react to it anymore. Impact would happen.

The beam of Nightmare made contact with the horn of Celestia, the very centerpiece of the magic from the mare. As a result, there was a deafening explosion took place and the mighty white alicorn was send over to the throne. Luckily for her, she managed to land on the soft cushions of it and she coughed a couple times.

Then she oriented her situation and figured out that she laid upside down on it. Nightmare however, had turned her attention over to the window and she just stared out of it with a tilted head. Time didn't had to progress long before the light of the moon shone down upon the castle and through the window the creature stood for. Celestia, Blitzwing and the guards all looked over to Nightmare. Nobody dared to speak a word, they all feared what would happen.

“The power of the moon, the fear of the mortals, it’s flowing all so richly through us,” she whispered to herself. Her wings kept standing in their spread position. “But before that, we have business to finish.” Nightmare turned her attention away from the window and in a tempting way she walked up to the throne. A smirk had grown on her face and only became bigger and bigger the closer she came.

“W-What is your plan?” Celestia pleaded.She wanted to know just what the intentions of the being were. It was apparent that she would meet her end either way. “Tell me...” The explosion and the landing had severely weakened the mighty alicorn. She was unable to move a muscle in her body or to call upon her magic. All that she could do was talking and the basic functions of her body.

Nightmare set her forehooves on the first elevation of the throne and thus she could stare down in the weak eyes of Celestia. Who on her turned stared back into the hate filled eyes below the helmet. “W-What have you b-become..?”

“We have become, that what you always feared us to be,” Nightmare replied to her in a dark but calm voice. At that point she stood above Celestia with a smirk “We, became your doom. And with you down on the ground like this, you are not a help when your subjects will never seen the light of the sun ever again.”

“That, that’s madness!” Celestia coughed out before Nightmare erupted out in a deep laughter. “C-Consider your actions!”

“Madness?" Nightmare growled as she almost pressed her nose against that of Celestia. "This, is, redemption!" The nightmarish alicorn released a roar of power right in the face of her sister before the head allowed some distance to fall in between the two again. "We have discussed this with you, for many times. But every time you didn't listen to us. Now you shall see, what happens when you defy us! The night will last, forever!” she spoke in a true reply to her sister.

But Blitzwing had gathered all of his guts. He had drawn his sword unseen to the dark alicorn. Without any sound from his mouth, he walked up to the nightmarish alicorn. He wanted to slice her head just clean off, ending her once and for all. He didn't care if it would have killed the princess of the moon. He wasn’t going to live in a world where eternal night was the only time of day. While the event happened, Celestia was buying herself time. She felt that her powers returned to her again.

Everything was too late though. The commander wanted to lash out towards the creature of hatred and darkness. Yet Nightmare saw the attack coming out of the corner of her eye. The being of darkness did a couple steps back under a yelp. Even though it had missed the neck of the alicorn, the sword managed to break the chain that was connected to the amulet. In the heat of the moment had Nightmare forgotten about the amulet and she charges up her horn without a thought.

Without a warning granted to him, had the stallion found himself within the air and he was flung over to other guards as the eyes of Nightmare followed. “You’ll get what you deserve!” she shouted after him before her attention returned back to Celestia. “Where were we? Oh yes, your end would be next. I told my plan, harmed your bodyguard, guess that that's the last of the checklist.”

“You still going by your schematics and all that nonsense?” the white alicorn said in an attempt to win herself even more time. She needed just a bit more in order to come back at her force. “Can’t you never do things just, out of the blue, now can you?”

“Silence foal!” Nightmare shouted in an echoing and booming voice. She then continued to speak her words in a more normal tone while all of the windows in the throne room where still wobbling from the shout. “Plan everything, get the upper hoof quickly and crush your enemy! That’s our standard. You should have learned that a long time ago when you kissed that filthy Dracon.”

“Leave, leave Discord out of this!” Celestia coughed before her eyes closed themselves off from the world.

“If we want to include him, we do so! Now sister, the time has come for you to say farewell to your pathetic, little, life.”

Everypony in the room thought she was a goner. With the power Celestia was hit, it would have crippled even the strongest of stallions. All of the guards –including their commander– glared over to the events in terror and they gave it up already. Their princess was too weak to repel another attack from Nightmare Moon. And to only add, the coming attack would be even closer to her body.

---

But during the time that the dark alicorn was speaking and rambling her words, they had given Celestia the time to regain her strength just enough to be able to call upon her magic. With one swift motion of her head, the horn was armed and aimed right at the throat of Nightmare who froze on the spot. “No, it shall be you who is going to say farewell. For you are no longer my sister! You are something different,” she stated from her upside down position. It had got to be the strangest way she had ever spoken to a pony since her foalhood.

Before Nightmare Moon could even react to the words, she was hit by a sphere of harmonious magic. One that sent to her back a couple hooves away from the throne. The crash was hard enough to send a dull bang through the room. Blitzwing silently send the guards over to her.

The spell also had a counter effect, for next to knocking the dark creature back it also blinded her for a couple minutes. She growled and snarled like an animal as she tried to get back on her hooves. “You’ll pay for that, Celestia!” Nightmare shouted while she faced the window that had a view over the land. However, in her ears she heard all of the sounds that guards made and through some nifty use of echolocation was she able to pinpoint their exact location.

Her horn charged itself up within the dark blue aura as the words of a tome from long ago left her mouth. Celestia had rolled to the right side and rose herself up on her hooves as she heard the words spoken. “Oh no...” was all she could whisper to herself before she raised her tone. “Do that spell and you shall suffer a judgment higher without any chance of sentence relief! Don’t do this to yourself, Luna!”

“Shut up Celestia! We are the judges and executors from now on,” bellowed Nightmare in return before she turned over to the guards. “...Charging your queen with drawn weapons shall have a severe punishment. Imprisonment in stone!” And then the charge got released from her horn. The dark blue beam that would seal the fate of the guards it would hit.

From the ten guards that stood watch in the room, only three got initially hit when the group separated themselves. Where the others cowered behind something was it Blitzwing who had the idea of saving the others from their fate. Then he saw just how fast the stone rose up from the bodies of the and that they were actually stoned. “Impossible,” he mumbled to himself before he saw a young guard trying to squirm himself away from the freshly made statues.

With the risk of his own life had Blitz rushed over to the statues and he managed to get a hold of the guard who looked at him with pleading eyes. “Yes, you will live to see your mother again! Now hurry!” he said to the guard. Nightmare readied her horn again for another blast.

The creature was still blinded from the spell but the voice of Blitzwing had drilled itself in her mind as she remembered him more than the others. “Get here!” she shouted to him as she released the secondary blast. Celestia did nothing to stop her as she couldn't believe all of the events were actually happening right before her eyes. All of the carnage and words spoken were simply unbelievable for her and it send her into a shock.

“Ragh!” the stallion groaned when he felt the beam hitting him right in the back, he closed his eyes as he spoke to the young guard, the last words he would ever speak. “G-Go! Run as fast as you can, go!” The young stallion nodded and then left the side of Blitz to join himself by the other. Their they all watched how the brave commander got sealed in stone in a fleeing pose. A pose he would never have assumed himself out of free will.

All of the guards took off their helmets and held it against their chests. Their hooves gave a final salute to the brave stallion who gave his life but got locked up in stone for all eternity.

“Enough of this madness!” Celestia all of the sudden boomed through the room. Her horn charged up and she released the counter spell to the imprisonment one. But when the beam hit the guards, there was first nothing that happened. Then there was the deadly silence that fell in the room as all the ponies anticipated the stone to crumble upon itself and to release the stallions.

Though there was nothing that happened.

Nightmare managed to regain her vision and she turned over to the other alicorn with a teeth revealing grin. “You were always so, naive. You think that a simple spell can release them?”

“Of, of course I thought that... You imprisoned them, that was the spell given to you by Starswirl years ago,” Celestia managed to stutter out in her defense.

“While it is true we were taught that spell from the stallion. You are forgetting one little thing, we trained ourselves and thus found a spell that turns flesh, muscle and every other part of the body into nothing but...” Nightmare spoke before she continued to grin upon the other royal.

“...But stone,” Celestia interrupted. She had managed to tie the ropes together in her mind. Though the revelation also snapped some wires in her head. An ancient anger was released in her body a her horn charged itself up greater than ever before.

“Exactly.” Nightmare pleasantly hissed while she then proceeded to spread her wings and gave a couple powerful flaps. Even before Celestia could release her saved charge was the monster already gone. It disappeared through the window and was flying free through the Equestrian skies.

Celestia made no time to waste as she walked up to the window with her horn charged and aimed right for the wings of Nightmare. “Flight lesson, cancelled,” she simply stated before the beam released itself under the sounds of electricity and a roaring thunder. The guards that were still in the room kept themselves as silent as the grave and simply watched the events unfold before them.

The beam that was shot into the skies actually missed the dark alicorn by almost a hair. But where Celestia expected a counter to come in the form of a dark and destructive beam being shot back at her, there was nothing. At least not in the form of a countering spell. The beam that Celestia had fired continued to travel over the land like a shooting star and those fortunate enough to see it, did a wish before they went to bed.

Little did they knew the true reasoning behind the powerful blast.

---

Nightmare Moon turned herself into nothing more but a purple mist as the eyes of the white alicorn continued to follow the trail of her sister. “Where are you going, you daughter of a peasant,” she cursed to herself as she kept watching. The trail went over the plains where she met the draconequus many years ago and it disappeared into the woods of Everfree. The woods that were known for their dark and mysterious powers.

The princess of the sun released a deep sigh in response. She had lost the trail the moment it entered the woods. “So that’s how you are going to play it then, aren't you?” she mumbled to herself before she turned herself around. She turned away from the window while the wind began to blow itself through the gaping hole and over the coat of the royal. It was then that her eyes were given the reality of the situation of what happened, what truly happened. What her sister had done to ponies they both loved and became herself. It was heartbreaking and devastating to say the least.

The eyes of the princess continued to stare gently over to the stoned guards as her hooves set themselves before the other in a careful manner. She was shifting in between actually realizing it was real and denying it wasn't. Everything that happened to her guards seemed surreal to her at the point in time.

“R-Remove yourself out of the room, please, I need to be alone for a little while. Make it, a long time, actually,” said Celestia in a clear and defeated voice over to the other guards. Each of them nodded before they left the princess alone and all went their own way. Some went over to the mess-hall were all the others had gathered themselves. They wanted to hear just what was going on as some just went to bed in an attempt to shake the horrible events off of themselves.

---

“That’s unheard of!” Warding Scale shouted through the hall as he heard the story from the young guard. “You are making this story up like some kind of writer! Our princess of the moon becoming such a dark being? For the love of the moon itself kiddo, you’re insane.” They all found themselves around different sets of tables but all of the eyes from both the celestial and lunar guards were looking over to the young stallion who shook his head heavily.

He looked around the hall and passed the faces of all the other mares and stallions. The hall was literally what it was, a hall where the guards could eat and relax a bit. The neutral colored wall satisfied both the guardians of the sun as well as those of the moon. “It’s not a lie captain Scale, you weren't there when it all erupted in a fight between those two!” the young guard pleaded for his life. Yet all of them found it a bit hard to believe.

“I still call a load of baloney!” Warding shouted as he punched his hoof on the table and stood up. “Gentlecolts, ladies, goodnight.” And then he was off, off to do whatever he needed to.

“But, it’s true Warding!”

“Oh shut it!” where the last words of the stallion before he disappeared. He left the hall with stomping hooves. All of the guards knew they had to leave him alone for some time. His own anger was racing through his body and he needed to calm down. And the only way he could do that, was to just walk. If he didn't, some of the castles furniture would be broken into more than one piece.

Celestia had tried everything in her might to undo the spell cast upon the guards, but nothing seemed to work. Also adding up the fact she was still tired from the duel with Moon, she was a wreck to say the least. “No, this won’t be happening. In all of those years I have stood at the helm of these lands, I will not give up,” she spoke softly to herself as she tried to make herself sound tougher. Celestia tried to make herself wise that she was able to save them from their doom.

Everything was too late though. None of the stoned guards could be saved anymore. Slowly had everything turned into nothing but solid rock. A single tear went down the cheek of the high alicorn.Her eyes just stared at the statue and her horn finally discharged itself. She was through it all. There was nothing within her might she could have done to save them, not anymore.

Deep within the stone prison gave the heart of Blitzwing its final beat before it turned into stone as well, thus completing the spell. Where Discord was granted the mercy of being able to live on within his prison, the guards left their earthly lives behind them and turned into true statues.

Commander Blitzwing and three other guards were the first lives to be brutally taken by the being that was only known as Nightmare Moon. And if the monster would have its way, more would follow without a doubt. Which Celestia had to prevent from happening.

---

The being of darkness submerged from the shadows. She stepped into the castle that stood in the woods of Everfree. A wonderful castle that was often used as their summer home but it also had a different purpose. It was that castle which held the very elements of harmony for storage. As Nightmare Moon created herself again out of the mist, her eyes did glare lightly over to the altar that housed the orbs of the elements. Her cyan colored eyes couldn't look at anything else. Not the stained glass windows, not the candles that lit up the room, just the altar was in her mind.

“With those things destroyed, the night shall last forever! And then, we shall finally get what we deserve. The praise we wanted for years,” she spoke to herself. Moon came even closer to the desired place. Even though she set her hooves unto the ground in a gentle manner, the clattering sound was still loudly audible. Streams of shadow crawled under her hooves with every step she took. Almost like they were dripping off of her, like water from a lake.

Her attention was caught by a light that shone through one of the stained glass windows. The head of Nightmare turned itself over to the window as she first looked to the image of it. An image which contained Celestia that rose the sun in all of her might as behind it, the sun actually rose.

When she realized that it was the real sun, Nightmare released the loudest and darkest roar so far as her body gently turned back into the purple mist. “You, traitor!” where the last words she spoke in the physical realm. Her head was the last part of body that would disappear and she then took refuge in the shadows of the building. The light shone majestically over the altar of the elements and thus making it impossible for her to either access it or destroy it.

She had to wait until it was her time again, her time to strike. Before that could be done however, she had to ready herself. But also, her troops. The troops that would be living under the name of the Nightmare Forces.

---

All those miles away, in the lonely tower that stood still on its place after all those years that went by, Starswirl the Bearded found himself resting on the bottom floor. His old and tired eyes gazed upon a gem that was suspended within his magical aura. “I remember it like yesterday,” he mumbled as he stared into the gem. “Like, yesterday...”

At the break of dawn of the new solar circle had the two armies gathered by one another. The almighty alicorns all stood on the hills, their numbers rich and proud. On the other side stood the ever so feared Draconequus kind. Beasts that countered the harmony of the alicorns. It was there, that the final battle would be fought.

But the Draconi never set foot on the ground of Equestria, instead they hovered in the air with their wings. Bat, pegasus, eagle, gull, owl, anything and everything was used. That was the beauty of a Draconequus, none were alike and all were different from one another. Their temper was fierce as they were enraged by the alicorns who had taking the fight to them. Yet no words could possibly solve the argument. And in the end, they did the worst possible thing. They armed and charged.

It was a bloody battle. A battle from which both sides made heavy losses. Both species nearly send the other to extinction. But in the heat of battle, when nopony ever could have expected it, two young alicorns opened their hearts. Not just for themselves, but also for the Daconi. They rose up like angels and spoke in the same voice, that booming choir that reached far and wide.

All of the warriors dropped their arms and looked up to the couple. They couldn’t do much else then agree on what was spoken. The alicorns ceased their attacks and negotiations had to be made with the Draconi kind.

Starswirl shocked up from his sleep and stared once more into the gem. The ruby that was shaped like two diamonds mirrored at their sharp tip, creating the illusion of an hourglass. A weak smile formed itself on the face of the stallion as he shook his head from side to side. “Oh, and I had almost thought I had forgotten the memory of it. I still see that young unicorn on the hill, watching the tension just break. Unable to fight, shocked from surprise that it came that far,” he mumbled against himself. His eyes closed for a brief moment and then opened up again.

With all the strength that was left within his body he rose up from the chair and walked up to the front door. The stallion had some things to do within Everfree itself and most likely it would take him some time before he would return to his beloved and solitary tower.

Chapter 6

Sibling rivalry on a scale never seen before

The land of Equestria can only pray that the sister go easy against one another

But knowing their strength and rage, chances are most likely not

The sun and the moon, two objects they represent, different like the day and night

Shall unleash their fury against one another

The eyes of Celestia kept themselves focused on the woods of Everfree. A sigh left through her nostrils. Knowing that what Nightmare Moon –the being that once was her sister no less– was going to do, had caused her to take a drastic measures. She had set her hopes on one not even the mighty princess of the sun would ever dare to apply. But it is as the saying goes, desperate times ask for desperate measures. “The sun will stay on the skies for as long as it is possible. The pegasi can shield it off with clouds to let the cycle go... Just answer me, why?” Celestia mumbled to herself before her attention was taken off of the window and went over the room as a whole.

The guards that had been turned into statues still was a bleeding wound within her heart and she just took her attention away from it. She tried to fix it somewhere on the ground. “Im-Impossible,” she mumbled to herself. “There must be something that could have saved them, maybe I can get her back far enough, that she makes them normal again...” But then her eyes fell on something. Something that was done as one of the last acts of commander Blitzwing.

Her eyes had fallen upon the separated alicon amulet and the mighty princess let her horn charge itself up within the golden aura and brought the thing over to her eyes. “What were your reasons for creating such a hellish power holder, my beloved sister..? Why would you have needed such a thing, to overthrow me?” she questioned herself as she turned herself around.

But then all of the sisterly love and wondering just vanished from her eyes and the look it was traded for was one of utter seriousness. “Nothing must ever know or find such a power,” she spoke as she left the throne room as a whole and ventured through the halls of the castle. Thought continued to race through the mind of the princess like the Wonderbolts on a racing track. Theories, explanations and all those lovely things made their way into her mind, but none ever seemed to be helping her with anything.

After the passage of time she came into a dungeon of the castle. One that was to be accessed by only either of the princesses. It was a vault to say the least. A place where items of great powers would be stored and kept safe from the outside world. With the amulet still within her magical aura were the sounds only increased on themselves while the royal of the sun stood before the gate. A door that was created out of gold and platinum mixed with some of the strongest metals there was to be found within the lands. A gift from the ponies who she once helped with their problems.

The dungeon itself was nothing more than a cavern with a stone, spiraling staircase and of course the gateway. The humming of Celestia's horn became only louder and louder until she stuck her horn into the hole it was designated for. In that moment had she released the charge. Magical circuits within the door did their job as the countless locks got opened. The ponies who made it were expert locksmiths, that was for certain. It always amazed her just how they had managed to make the door. But she never really asked the question out of respect for their profession and trade.

Slowly but surely did the door open itself under loud tremors. Tremors that could only be heard and felt within the room. Not only was the door filled with locks, it also was thick. The sounds of Celestia's horn decreased themselves to the point she was just holding the amulet and walked through the gaping hole created by the door. Only to disappear within the realm of forbidden items.

---

Only hours later had Celestia returned and sat on the throne. Her eyes just watched over the sun and the land. She watched if there were any signs of Nightmare undergoing any form of action against it. For the sun still stood high in the skies, even though it was getting closer and closer to the evening. Her eyes were caught by the pegasi that came from their young and prideful capital, Cloudsdale, with the clouds to shield the burning star from the land. To make sure the cycle between night and day still was kept intact. Even if it was just an illusion. “If you want to strike, you better do it now Nightmare,” Celestia mumbled to herself. The captain of the lunar guard entered the throne room.

Warding Scale had heard more than enough of all the rumors that were spoken by the others. He wanted answers for himself. Answers about just what happened to be the truth and what not. But the time he used to walk in was enough to make him catch the words and his eyes fell upon the statues. “Excuse me, your highness,” he spoke up. “The men, under who myself, have been hearing rumors about a monster that stood within the walls of the throne room and-”

Before he could continue his words, his eyes trailed off to a statue of somepony he knew more than well. “I don’t know who the carver is, but that pose of Blitz isn't accurate at all...”

“It is though,” Celestia replied all of the sudden. Her head took itself off of the windows and turned to the stallion. She had a good look to the stallion for a couple moments.

“Excuse me?” Warding said in confusion. The captain turned his entire body back to the princess and walked over to the throne. “With all due respect, your highness, but that pose is not one he is going to have assumed himself. What, happened? Where is Blitzwing to begin with?”

“My dearest Warding Scale,” Celestia started. Her eyes fell on the bat pony stallion. “Those statues. His in particular, is Blitzwing. Being turned into stone as if he was caught by a Cockatrice, except it was done by a creature far darker than we all could have even thought.”

“So the words, they are true?” the stallion asked at the revelation that his friend was nothing more but a statue. “I, I should have believed the kid,” he continued to speak in a defeated tone as his eyes kept switching between the princess and the statue. “...So, what is the plan, if I may ask?”

Celestia was still being devastated by the facts that happened before her and the revelations made by all the ponies around her, continued to watch over the land as the dark clouds covered the sun up nicely. “The sun will shine for an unknown amount of time, long enough for me to sniff the creature out and teach it a lesson. I know it resides within the borders of Everfree. But for how long it can be there is going to be a question in and of itself. Warding, do me a favor, don’t speak with anypony about this. As much as it is true that matter is for all of the land, it mostly is between my sister and myself.”

Warding nodded to the words before he released a deep sigh of defeat and turned himself over to the statue once more. “I pray you fought hard.” he whispered to the statue before he gave a kiss upon the stoned forehead. “Your highness, if you will excuse me, I have to return to my post.”

“Dismissed captain Scale,” Celestia simply said.

---

Within the walls of the old Castle, deep within the shadows of the other realm did Nightmare Moon watch over the sun with a growl. A growl of utter hatred as she walked around her forces. “That lying coward... All it takes for us, is to change and the sun stands forever on the skies. Well we will assure you Celestia, once you make the mistake of lowering the sun, you all will feel the wrath that is Nightmare Moon!” she spoke up before erupting out in a deep and dark laughter. All of the clouds of shadow that surrounded her chuckled along as some spoke words in an ancient language.

“We've got the patience Celestia, we've got the patience. The question is, do you?” muttered Nightmare. She turned herself around and watched over the housing of the Elements of Harmony. “And when you fall into mistake, not even your precious elements can save you. And the world, hmhmhmha, will know who is the true ruler.” The more the eyes of the beast stared at the orbs which housed them, the more her desires to smash them rose up. But for some reason she managed to hold herself in tone. Instead she turned back around and looked at a couple of her forces. “Ready the troops. You’re going on a hunt until the sun goes down,” she spoke against them with a menacing grin on her face. “The land may think it is safe under her watch, but they won’t. You all, are going to proof that.” The games were on. The shadow reign of Nightmare Moon was about to begin.

The forces she spoke to erupted out in a loud cheer before they dissolved themselves and Nightmare turned her attention back to the other side of the room. She never left either the window or the elemental statue out of her eyes. Constantly watching over them from the shadows like a predator watching its prey. Silent but deadly. “It will end the way we want it Celestia, we just hope you are prepared for it,” she whispered to herself before her forces left the castle in order to spread among those who dared to cross their path.

---

For five long and dreaded days had the sun had been standing on top of the skies in its full and burning glory. A spell that had worn greatly on the magical powers of Celestia. Every night she had to reset the sun as if it were the day. With the pegasi their help were the clouds created before it. All acting and creating a moon-like effect, but it only helped temporarily. Adding the very fact that the forces of Nightmare also were on the hunt for the precious little and innocent minds of her subjects, it only added to the frustration. That was something she couldn't use at all in the moment.

But on the sixth day, she had grown tired of it all. Six long days without any night or even the moon on the skies was a great deal for the ponies on the land. But for Celestia it meant another thing, for her it was five nights of no sleep. “Now I know how the ponies in the North feel when the sun doesn't go down for them,” the royal mare muttered to herself. She laid down in exhaustion on the throne. She wanted to sleep so badly, but every time she closed her eyes to do that, there was the image of Nightmare speaking to her. Vile and heartbreaking words echoed through her mind when she tried to sleep and they placed the feeling of blame only more in her corner.

“Luna how could you have become a being like you did?” the mighty princess of the sun questioned. She watched the pack of clouds that acted like the night. But all of the sudden, there was a shock that went through her. Even Celestia knew that time was running short on her side and she realized it more than ever. It was impossible for the sun to just stand on the skies for all of eternity.

Without a warning given of any kind stood the royal up from the throne and she walked down the steps under the sounds of a couple wheezes. Something within her mind had turned the switch and she was more than ready to open the hunting season. “Would somepony care to bring my armor!?” she spoke up into the air as her eyes turned over to a window that had a view on the mythical Everfree. “The trees like torches, blazed with light,” she spoke to herself in a singing manner as she caught the rays of the sun playing their way through the trees. It really made it look like they were ablaze and for some odd reasoning, the mare seemed to be liking it.

Not much later there were a couple servants that brought the armor over to the royal and they dressed her up as if she was ready for war. The celestial armor was one not seen by many, but one that was strong enough to deflect even the hardest hit. Yet it was light enough to evade incoming attacks. However, the only weakness was the fact that it appeared to be covering all of her body. It appeared, to be. But the part where the armor had to move, especially around the hips and shoulders, were open and thus vulnerable for any attack.

“I thank you kindly,” the princess spoke against the servants with a smile as she took off her helmet and held it against her side within her golden aura. “The heavens high and hells deep may be with you Luna. For you will not succeed on your scheme. Even if I have to call out a Celestial Judgment on you just as, him,” she spoke as a blade was offered to her. A blade that was encrusted with many gems on both the hilt and the blade part. “The blade of harmony,” said Celestia said as she looked over to the weapon. An ironic name for such a thing. “Thank you once more.”

Her eyes once more tailed off into the woods as the blade was sheathed against her side. The mighty white wings of the alicorn spread themselves as she took the first steps into the direction of the balcony.

Slowly and gently there was the wind the blew through her mane and on her face. It was her first real contact with the world outside since she let the sun stand on the skies. To her it felt like a hit from reality. A hit that was hard enough to make her feel the tiredness she had been building up over the sleepless nights. Yet it also caused the adrenaline to soar through her body. The substance fought off the tiredness for as long as it would be needed and would be the stuff that kept her going.

With her light magenta red eyes did she watch the forests and knew that somewhere within its boundaries, the being she once called her sister roamed and hid itself. She tried to pinpoint the location by searching up the magical frequency Luna’s horn irradiated. Her own horn was cast within the aura very lightly and with her eyes closed she came a long way. But never was truly able to get the exact location. “Smart, using decoys,” she mumbled to herself. And then she was off again. Off into the skies with one jump. The wind took her to itself as she glided away from the castle. Her destination was nothing else then the heart of Everfree Forest. The very source of it. From there she would start her search. And the revelations would be made.

---

While her mighty wings carried her through the skies of Equestria, Celestia circled over the woods and with her eyes she scanned for any activity that could locate the other alicorn. Once more she tried to locate her by sensing the magical frequency. But all where it led her too were open spots within the forest. Spots that had an arcane circle around them. Every time she came across one of them, the armored alicorn tried to read them. But even to her they simply were unknown or too vague to get their full meaning.

“On what kind of dark magic have you called upon, sister of mine?” Celestia thought aloud to herself as it wasn't the kind of magic that the wretched unicorn king once held. The magic called upon by the entity of Nightmare Moon was something drastically different. The magic Celestia was faced with was something that was different and overall much darker than anything she had ever faced. Though one thing was clear as crystal: it was Nightmare’s magic.

But Celestia had grown tired from all the pointless flying around and she landed on a spot deep within the woods. A part where not a single pony had ever dared to come. In the middle of the fog, shadow covered part of Everfree. As her wings tucked themselves back against her body, the eyes and ears of the princess watched and heard if there was anything strange and unusual that would be near her.

Nothing but silence was what she heard and saw in her direct surrounding. The songs of the birds in the distance could be heard freely as well as many other forest sounds. But by her there was the eternal silence that dominated. “Where can you be?” she questioned herself. Of course she could have known that Nightmare resided within the walls of the old castle, but due to her own little problems with her sleepy mind, Celestia couldn't truly think straight any longer. She was tired in both mentally and physically form. Only the adrenaline that went through her managed to keep her going.

From time to time there was the clear moment within her mind but it never stayed long enough for the alicorn to make full use of it. Of course she could cast a waking up spell upon herself, but that would be dangerous to begin with. One misfire, and that what would happen could be catastrophic. “I will, find you,” she spoke to herself before setting off into the fog.

When the hours had crawled by and the time of midnight had arrived, Celestia still hadn't found any trace of the whereabouts of Nightmare Moon. For some reason were the tracks covered up too much to find the original source. She had to go by instinct and possibly a lot of luck. Though one of the two things was never truly given to her. Either way, she decided to continue on with her pace through the woods. Her eyes and ears were sharp enough to pick up the sounds and sight of any creature. Somewhere within those trees she would encounter Nightmare Moon again.

The only problem happened to be that where she had to be looking for, were beings that weren't in contact with the physical realm. But lived within the shadows. All of the Nightmare’s forces had spread themselves throughout the woods under her command. And some had managed to get Celestia within their sights.

Eventually had the princess of the sun entered another opening in the forest. An opening that didn't seem to be plagued with the darkness of Nightmare’s magic. But something else caught up within her eyes. Something that brought an even greater sadness to her heart.

She found herself within a demolished outpost. An outpost that once served as a new settlement for those who wanted to live within the woods. It used to be a place that was flooded with both wealth and respect. But ever since the claws of both manticore and timberwolf made their way through the wood of the buildings and the flesh of ponies, it was nothing more but a rumor to the other villages and towns in the land.

Celestia wandered through the ruins of the once so prideful settlement and with her mind, she almost relieved the attack that cost most of the lives. The screams for family and help rang in her ears as a tear of utter sadness made its way down her cheek. Among the creatures of Everfree itself, where was another creature to be seen. An insectoid being that looked like a fly with four legs. A creature that lived under the simple name of, “Changeling,” she spoke as her eyes opened once more. But in the memory, she only saw one instead of the usual dozen in which they usually attacked. “Curious, highly curious... Rogue changelings have entered the woods of Everfree...”

But she had to leave the broken settlement for the fact that a great depression was crawling up within her body. A depression that only added more to the that were already on her mind. And that was the last thing she could possibly have.

---

The princess left the area as a whole and after a good set of minutes she found herself standing before the dangerous swamps of Everfree. Even ponies who hadn't even seen the forest before knew how deadly its swamps could possibly be. And even more vile creatures lived within the waters of it. Unknown to Celestia was the fact that she was at the point of meeting one of the most deadliest.

Without a warning given did the four heads of the monster rose out of the waters and roared into the direction of Celestia. Taken by a complete surprise did the alicorn take a couple steps back under a gasp for air. Her eyes laid themselves over the might scaled creature and she knew one thing to be certain. She didn't wanted to end as its midnight snack nor did she had the desire to fight it.

Her fearful reaction was quickly turned over into a much more calmer one. In a moment she sat down her behind and watched the dragon in its eyes, all of its eyes. She tried to open up a mental connection with the being. But to the hydra, she was a meal ready to be taken away just like that. With another roar had all four of the heads rushed down in order to partake in the snack while the waters still dripped down from the scales.

Stop, suddenly echoed within all four of the heads. And much to their own surprises, all four of the heads stopped dead in their tracks and looked upon one another in confusion. They growled a bit to one another in a manner as if they blamed each other for the act.

Down here, was spoken to them and all the head looked down to the princess of the sun. Or better said, the heads dropped themselves before her in a relaxing manner. For her tone was sweet and kind, something the creature wasn't used too yet it seemed to be liking it.

I am not here to harm you, mighty hydra of Everfree, nor was it my intention to cross your turf. With the greatest of apologizes I wish to say sorry for coming here. If the four of you please will excuse me, then I shall make my departure, the voice of the princess echoed through their heads again. All eight of the eyes closed off and Celestia made use of the opportunity to make her departure in silence.

But the further she went away from the creature, the less her voice echoed within the four minds and one of the heads managed to snap out of it before the others. It was rather clear that it was pissed as it smashed all of the other head further into the ground. Not appreciating that the other head did, the three remaining all charged the lonely head and bit it off without a problem. A problem that caused two heads to return, thus given the creature five heads over the passage of time itself.

While Celestia resumed her journey through the woods, she couldn't help it but to notice a figure that moved along in the treelines. A figure that unknown characteristics when she tried to place any creature of Everfree with it. A force of Nightmare it wasn't either as those would only work from within the shadows. So naturally, her suspicion only grew.

Speaking off of the forces of Moon, one of them had returned back to its master and spoke words in an unknown language against the black coated alicorn. “Good, very good. So my sister is within the borders of the woods, hmhmha. Let’s give her something she won’t forget soon.” Nightmare spoke up as her horn charged itself up in order to perform a spell. A spell of a caliber that was unknown to most unicorns. A spell so powerful, that what she desired, could truly happen.

The force that spoke to her chuckled along with the increasing humming power. Then it disappeared again into the nothingness. “Soon sister, your sun will be gone, forever.”

---

Back in the woods had Celestia come closer to the mysterious figure. She could make out the grey coat, and the signature blue wizard hat and cloak. In her eyes, it could mean only one pony in the entire world. An old friend of her who she cherished like no other. A pony who had been with her and her family even before she was born. “Starswirl? Is that you?” she spoke up in a soft tone.

Though even the soft tone was more than enough for the stallion to give him a heart attack. With the greatest of care he turned himself around and within his eyes the scare could be seen becoming a gaze of relief. “My dearest child, never scare me like that again would you,” the stallion spoke as he discharged his horn and stroked a hoof through his beard. It was almost impossible not to notice the armor around Celestia. Thus the question was asked from his mind. “Is there, a reason why you are dressed like that? Or, why the sun hasn't set itself in six or seven days by now. Not that I mind it of course, conserves me the candles. But I do want to know the reasoning behind it.”

Celestia couldn't do much else than to speak the truth to him. Obviously he didn't seem to be knowing that what happened. Then again, she never spoke to him about it. Instead she just acted out on her own. “There is indeed a reason for that my old friend. The fact is that Luna has gone, crazy. She turned into something monstrous and it calls herself 'Nightmare Moon'. The reason the sun hadn't come down in this week of time, is because I can’t allow her to gain powers.”

While the words of Celestia entered the ears of the elderly wizard, he had a difficult time actually understanding them before he connected the dots together. “And just why didn't you call me right away!? With that spell, you are draining your powers constantly!” he spoke out towards her. His words were spoken in a raised voice but also one that showed sympathy below it.

“I know it does, but it is better than having her moon. No, no it was not...” Celestia replied. In the blink of an eye had everything suddenly became clear to her. “How could I have been so blind?”

“Hey,” the old stallion said as he placed a hoof in the shoulder of the princess. “You did all you possibly could. You did what was right in your eyes. But, judging from the sounds of it, it seems we have to hurry.”

“Where do you suggest we look?”

“Well, the only place a being of such darkness could live, the old castle by the valley. Come on your highness. If it is the spell you cast upon yourself as I think it is,” he looked up to the sun and could only release a sigh as it already went down, “there is no time for us to lose anymore.”

Celestia nodded to the words spoken and orientated herself in a way to find the Castle before she went into the direction. The elderly stallion had some difficulty trying to catch up, but somehow managed to do it rather well. Time was short on their end. But on Nightmare’s, she could wait for more weeks if she had to.

With the passage of minutes instead of the expected hours they thought they had, the midnight sun reached its resting place for the first time within a week and both Starswirl and Celestia looked to one another in confusion. But as the sun got lower and lower, the skies got darker and darker. “Twilight,” mumbled the stallion. He took his attention away from the royal and to the skies.

Both of the ponies charged up their horn as the darkness of the twilight consumed all of the land. Not a single light was to be seen anywhere. That was of course with the exception of both their horns. “This is going to be it, eternal darkness over the land...” Celestia mumbled to her friend.

Starswirl on the other end shook his head and spoke his own words over the matter. “No, she needs the moon. It is then that she is at her strongest. The twilight will help her for certain, but it’s the rock...” His words were cut off as they caught a blue magical beam that shot into the skies and like a spiderweb expended upon itself. “...Too late...”

On the western horizon it rose up appeared the giant rock that controlled the tides of the sea and the very thing Luna represented. The moon saw the skies for the first time in a week and both Celestia and Starswirl knew it could only be much more troubles with the moon visible. “It comes from the castle...” Celestia spoke up as she tried to locate the origin of the beam.

“You’re right Tia, come qui-” But the words of Starswirl were broken by the sounds of a manticore that had set itself behind the two. It wanted –just like the hydra– a snack. Both the unicorn and the alicorn turned themselves around to stare right into the eyes of the beings before they both released a gulp. It was just the perfect recipe for disaster.

---

Within the walls of the chamber had Nightmare Moon lowered herself back down on her hooves. She let all of the magical aura disappear from around her horn. All that it left was a trail of smoke that just indicated the amount of magic she had been using to perform the spell. That was the spell she was charging up. “Now that the moon and thus the land is ours, I can finally crack it open,” she spoke as her eyes removed themselves from the ceiling and until the statue.

Due to the power of the blast and lack of open area, the beam had shot right through the ceiling and ended up nearly demolishing it in the process. But Nightmare didn't care for it, her forces took care of it. Some of them went upward and left through the hole in order to look out at any incoming danger. They hissed and growled to one another to communicate.

Yet there was one force, a soldier that had taken the appearance of a broad stallion, that walked up to its queen and bowed deeply before her. “Arise commander,” Nightmare spoke as she stroked one of the stone orbs with a hoof as if it was one of her foals. “And speak your words quickly. We are, at the greatest moment in our history.”

“As you wish, my queen.” it spoke up in a dark toned male voice. “The troops are ready to form the vortex, all that is truly needed, is you managing to get the elements out of their holding.”

“Good, very good,” replied Nightmare while she finally turned herself around with a grin. “Do you know, how long we have waited for an opportunity like this, how we have waited to show these pathetic mortals just what powers the night truly hold?” While she spoke her words, she came closer to the shadow stallion and all that he could do before their faces met one another, was gulping.

The helmet of Moon touched the forehead of the stallion as her eyes glared into the empty eye sockets he had. “Too long, we have been waiting for it. And now that the chance is finally here. Don’t mess it up!” she almost yelled to him. A growl left her and she turned back around to the statue.

Fearing the outburst of his queen and the possibilities of another one coming, the stallion crawled away when he had the chance in order to rally his troops for their final maneuver. It had to be a success, or their lives would come to an end. Despite their bodies being made out of pure shadow and fog, Nightmare Moon seemed to be one of the few, if not the only one, that was possibly to grab them without shifting between realms. “As you wish,” were the final words spoken by him before disappeared out of the room as a whole and joined himself by the others.

“The elements of harmony, come to me and lock the moon into the skies!” Nightmare yelled at the statue as her horn charged itself up in a dark coloring before the charge was released. It hit one of the orbs, then went to the next until it connected all the other five. Sparks of a magical current went through each of the orbs and before the creature of hatred knew it, the five of them blasted their energy to the one on top. With big eyes she anticipated that what would happen. Her moment, was getting closer and closer.

But when it seemed something was going to happen did the magic just fade from the stones or got reflected straight back to Nightmare. The gaze within her eyes turned from patient and anticipating into one of utter hatred as she released a roar towards the statue and charged her horn up once more. she would succeed, even if it was the last thing she would do.

---

With the sounds of a weeping manticore looked both Celestia and Starswirl over to the distance where the castle stood. The magic that was inflicted upon the orbs, was felt within the heart of Celestia and her eyes started to smoke just a little bit. Smoke in the manner as the eyes of the king of the Empire did. The mare closed her eyes while she reached for her heart. She shook her head in a painful manner. Celestia was in true and physical pain, something she wasn’t used to at all.

“She hit you hard, didn't she?” Starswirl said as he placed a hoof on the shoulder of Celestia in order to comfort her.

“Y-Yes, the blast in the chest, didn't do me good at all,” she muttered in response to the words. But whether Celestia wanted it or not, Starswirl charged up his own horn in order to help her out with the pain. He spoke a harmonious spell over on her in an attempt to calm down.

It appeared to be working good enough and the white armored alicorn managed to fix her gaze upon distance again. “Starswirl old friend, hold on tight,” she spoke as her horn charged itself up for a round of magic.

Before the stallion even knew what was going on, they were teleported away from their location. Starswirl had closed his eyes as the clopping of Celestia's hooves could be heard through the world between worlds. “Come on,” she spoke in a slower voice as she turned only her head towards him. Not wanting to waste more time, the stallion changed his pacing into a gallop as well and together they charged for the Old Castle that came closer and closer. She appeared to be slower, but the distance they traveled seemed to be faster than ever.

Not much later did they stand before the door that would lead them to the room where Nightmare was in. There they merged again with the real realm under a soft explosion. Being wonky on their hooves, the two ponies had to regain their stability as Starswirl understood that what happened to him and her. “Those teleportation lessons didn't seem to be failing after all, now did they?” he chuckled before he regained his more serious side.

“No they did not. Now then, shall we?” she spoke and the stallion could only give her a nod.

Without a second thought in her mind, Celestia blasted the door open like it was nothing. But she was just in time to lay her eyes on a sight that was horrifying to say the least. Nightmare Moon had charged up her horn almost to the peak of her powers and had it aimed to the statue of the elements. It was clear to the both of them that what was going to happen with them. There where Starswirl was completely silent as he caught the first sight of the monster that was once Luna, Celestia managed to speak a small set of words, “oh no...”

Chapter 7

Celestial Judgement

Two words, no soul wishes to hear

The words entered the ears of Nightmare Moon. Her attention turned over to the entrance where they came through and she held her charge upon the sight of her sister and Starswirl. With her eyes she watched over them like she was the devil herself. Though she discharged her horn and allowed the vast amounts of magic that were stored within it to travel through her body, down her legs and eventually disappearing into the ground. All that remained were sparks of electricity. Sparks that served as a wakeup call for the Forces.

“My dear, sweet, big sister,” mocked Nightmare towards Celestia. She did a persuading step over into the direction of her sister. “Has been too long, hasn't it? We mean, the sun stood on the skies like it had been for six days. Either time went really slow for us, or you broke your own rules. Which one is it? I do dare to say that we both know the answer to that one.” She took another step into the direction of Celestia and a deadly smirk came to her face.

“I only did that what I had to do, Nightmare,” Celestia pleaded in her defense. There was then a roll of thunder that did its turn through the nightly skies. “I couldn't let it risk that my subjects would suffer under your despair. I simply would not have done that.” Starswirl on the other end simply watched over the arguing sisters before his eyes trailed off in a window.

At first the stallion wasn't able to notice anything due to the darkness in the skies but it was only after he gave his eyes the better look that he saw just what happened. Within his eyes he caught the forces of Nightmare Moon that all got powered up from the electrical sparks and were racing through the skies as if they were going to create something.

“Oh please, this again? To protect your subjects? What happened to our subjects? Or have you finally gotten the guts to tell us the truth as it is?” Nightmare continued to taunt as she kept her eyes on the armor of her sister. “Looks like somepony is ready for an all out war, what do you hope to achieve by beheading us? Do you really think that will deliver peace to this torn country?”

“I don’t wish to achieve anything by it as I am not going to behead you. The sentence of death hasn't been given to any pony since our parents took the throne,” Celestia replied as she charged up her horn. In response Nightmare did a couple steps back and growled while she managed to wait. “Easy,” spoke Celestia while her armor slowly removed itself from her body. All of the pieces gathered themselves together and eventually disappeared due to a teleportation orb. The sword happened to be included. Not a single piece of armor was to be found by the alicorn as her mighty white wings spread themselves as a beacon for something.

Starswirl wasn't fond of the ideas as a while and he whispered within the ear of Celestia. “You sure this is a good idea? I mean not to offend you, but it is Luna we are talking to.”

“It’s Luna we are talking to. That’s why it’s a good idea,” Celestia countered in a whisper before she turned her head back to the dark coated alicorn with the misty mane.

“You made the day last for six days straight, without a break. Now you either give us that what we want: six days of night. Or it will be you who is to blame, for the locking of the moon,” Nightmare spoke to Celestia. The further she spoke her words, the more threatening her voice became. Moon wanted to work Celestia in a corner from which she couldn’t escape. The stallion caught the words and released a quiet groan to them while he stroked his beard. Something wasn't sitting him right about the whole matter, but the guts to talk to Celestia in the matter he lacked.

“No Nightmare. I only made the day last for such a long time due to the fact you wouldn't be causing any trouble for the subjects. The routine will continue as it always did. The routine our parents had given to us,” Celestia said for herself, hoping Nightmare could be reasoned with.

“Will you please hold that, for crying out loud!” Nightmare shouted in return. She had more than enough for everything in the moment. “But so be it. If you don’t want to agree with us, then you are going to be for blame for the locking of the moon. Forever.”

“No! You don’t know what you will cause upon the land! Eternal darkness only comes with one thing and Father warned you about it. Only death will come from it!” Celestia pleaded as she almost spoke in a begging tone to her changed sister.

Nightmare had the perfect counter for the argument inside of her head. One which she spoke without shame in her voice. Hoping to anger Celestia with it. “Life, will find a way.”

Wires snapped within the head of Celestia when she saw the play before her eyes. Thousands of ponies would be begging for the sun because nothing would grow on the lands. Families would be torn apart and villages utterly destroyed. It truly was the worst possible scenario. The alicorn of the sun shook her head and she let it fall upon the stallion next to her.

Starswirl looked into the eyes of Celestia with his own and words didn't had to be spoken by either of the parties. For he saw that the kind princess he had known since her own foalhood, had traveled down the path of oblivion. Instead she would handle the situation with something that was new for her. Something that was impossible to expect from a mare of caliber. The whole fact that she would lower everything she stood for and use brute force to tackle Nightmare Moon.

“Starswirl,” she started to speak in a tone that said utmost seriousness, “I know you have been by my side in many battles. Most notably against Discord. But this battle, is going to be that has to be fought out by two ponies. Myself, and her. I am asking you, to leave this room now and whatever happens, don’t return to here in order to help out. The power that two alicorn can commence is even for you too much to handle. Go old friend, for me. Please.” During the words had the princess laid a hoof on the back to the stallion to give him the last push of comfort. It was unknown to Celestia herself if she would even return from the encounter with a mare as dark as that she had become. The unicorn king was easily to be dealt with given the circumstances. Nightmare Moon on the other end, was somepony a whole lot more complicated.

“I wish you the best of luck, your highness,” replied Starswirl before he gave a nod to the spoken words. The two ponies hugged each other for a short time but then he really had to move away and make room. Make room for the titan forces that would be released in the passage of time.

---

As fast as his elder legs could carry him, the stallion left the room and through the hallway. Memories of long forgotten pasts rushed back to him as he remembered the many days within the old castle itself. Times of joy and serenity that almost seemed to be too good to be true.

“Oh where has the time come too..?” he questioned himself out loud while he walked out of the front gate of the castle and up to the bridges. But as he passed the bridges, the stallion could feel that there was off about the entire atmosphere. He felt it but in his eyes he couldn't quite see it. And that was what was wrong. Not just castle felt more darker with her inside, but the surrounding area as well. The trees already had lost their leaves and appeared to be dying, the canyons the surrounded the castle seemed to be going even deeper. Not wanting to figure out whatever was going to happen, Starswirl hurried himself over the bridge and prayed he wasn't going to be attacked by anything.

Much to his luck it wasn't though. All that caught the better of him was a gust of wind that caused his hat to fall into the ravine. “No!” he shouted to himself as his horn charged itself up. The plan was to get the hat before it was out of range, but it didn't matter, for that happened. The hat was out of range of his magic almost in a second and under a sigh the horn got discharged.

Muttering along the way further to the solid side he wasn't all too happy that he had lost his signature headgear. “Maybe, the seamstress in Canterlot can make a new one for me. She always was that generous to those in need, and her taste is refined for a mare like herself,” he mumbled to himself while he walked up to a rock. A rock that would be his seating for the events to come One that had an excellent view on the Old Castle yet was far enough away to not be a bother to either of the rampaging mares.

He sat down on the rock and gave his old eyes the cost to look around. While he did that, he did a scary discovery. One he rather didn't had made. For in the ravine that surrounded the castle for defense reasoning, the forces of Nightmare Moon were swirling around in silence like a vortex. Invisible to the naked eye as the only things that gave it away were the sparks of electricity that went through them every now and then.

The same sparks that left when Nightmare discharged her horn after the immense power that had been stored in it. “Oh no... What did she do!?” he questioned in a raised voice while he stood up from the rock and went over to the edge. “Im-Impossible...” Starswirl muttered to himself. He charged up his horn and tried to lock upon the forces to get some reading from them. The stallion managed to do it, but had to quickly break the connection due to a raging headache within his brain. “This is, these, off the charts,” he said to himself beore the horn discharged and he started the explanation to himself. “Of course, the magical currents from Nightmare’s horn... She never wanted to blow up the orbs, it was the starting signal for, this...”

“Darkness, will fall,” were the words faintly whispered and repeated into the ears of Starswirl. Very vaguely at first but it became louder the more he stared at the slow vortex. But the voices were dark and eerie, the perfect fuel for nightmares.

The stallion shook his head and walked back to the, oddly enough, comfortable rock he sat on before and gave his eyes the cost to look up to the moon. The bright full moon made it unnecessary to charge a horn for light. The old eyes closed themselves as a smile came to his face. “I’ll never forget the day you rose the moon for the first time, Luna, it had to be one of the best moments in your life,” he whispered to not only to himself, not to everypony that wanted to hear him either. His words were mostly aimed towards the moon itself. Almost as if he himself sought comfort for that what came. Starswirl was rarely clueless, but in that moment he was pretty clueless.

“Darkness, will fall,” was the only response he got and it broke his heart a bit. Under a deep sigh that left through his mouth, he turned back over to the castle and waited to that what came.

“I hope you will do what is right, Celestia,” he spoke as a final support.

---

Nightmare watched the doors fall back in their locks after Starswirl had made his departure.Then she turned her head back to Celestia and continued to grin and smirk like the devil she was. “Well, well, well, the most powerful unicorn in the land –if not existence– and you were together, you just let him run away like a coward. Afraid you might harm his old fragile bones, or do you want to spare him the sight when you watch the lock?” she taunted to her sister. She continued to take steps further up to her and the grin only grew in size as the candles within the room lit themselves up. But not by the powers of Nightmare. The dark alicorn looked to the flames and the words left her. “So, you finally decided to release of your own demons, sister? About time you did something fun.”

“No, sister, I am just going to spare an old friend of mine, the destruction you caused within the soul of a mare who wanted nothing but the best. When a good mare goes to war, the world shall tremble on its foundation,” replied Celestia when her horn was charged within the golden aura to let the flames ignite. But instead of discharging, the humming only became louder and louder. “Not to mention, a princess in despair forms possibly the greatest threat any opposition may discover.”

Knowing that the words spoken were right deep within her soul, Nightmare made the wise decision of taking steps back from Celestia. Not just a couple, but almost the entire room. But as she took the steps, her horn charged itself as well and they both hummed with the greatest of power. The magic flowing through their horns and body at equal strength as Nightmare had when the elder sister bursted into the room. “En garde,” spoke Celestia with a simple tone in her voice before she released the beam.

Nightmare did the same thing but added the sounds of a terrifying roar of power. The two beams, one golden and the other black clashed against one another there their struggled to go past the other. Both of the forces gave everything they had within themselves already but it wouldn't be enough to overthrow the other. And the worst part was, both knew that.

Celestia added more power to her beam to make it gain ground over Nightmare, who did the same to return it. It was a powerful tug of war that didn't looked like it could be won by either parties. Lessening the power would mean the defeat, instead only more power got added. Powers that were of devastating levels for a normal unicorn. For when they entered the fifth minute of the battle, their strengths were on the size of raising the heavenly bodies.

“Give it up Celestia, you can’t win this,” growled Nightmare Moon. Though she was having some difficulty to keep the beam of her sister in tome. “We, we are impressed here, never did we expect you to carry such powers...” Without a warning given did the alicorn of darkness gave everything she got in her might to overthrow the other.

“You’ll be surprised what I’m capable off, Nightmare,” replied Celestia to her. But it were her words that caused her downfall. For in that moment she replied, her magic levels dropped a little bit to focus on the talking. Right on the moment that Nightmare gave everything she had.

The dark beam rushed right at Celestia and before she knew it, she was hit by it and flung like a ragdoll over to the wall of the room. The very wall that stood before the elemental statue. With the sight of the harmonious mare being defeated erupted Nightmare out in a deep laughter as she discharged her horn. Some smoke left the extended body part as she turned herself around.

“It’s free game now. Celestia is knocked out and the moon is in the perfect position. The time for the lock has fallen upon us. The time to topple the land in eternal darkness. Finally the subjects will know the true power of the night and they will worship it. As it is the last they will see,” she spoke in a tone of revenge, hatred and hidden agony. “The time has fallen upon us, my forces! Darkness, shall, fall!” she shouted as her horn charged itself up and sent a blast through the wall of the castle. A blast acted as the final blow for the forces.

All of the circling forces gathered themselves upward and thus created a vortex of darkness that surrounded the entire castle. All of the torches extinguished themselves due to the created wind. The shadows managed to tear holes through the stone as they came by. Within seconds the whole building was damaged. But Nightmare Moon didn't care. She only looked at the visible moon high above themselves. It was the only part of the skies that was actually visible. The rock in the skies and some of the space that was around it. The swirling of the vortex wouldn't be enough to keep the thing in place. No, it would act as a conductor. But first Nightmare had to join herself with her forces to bring it up to the optimal speed to release the blast through.

The mare of hatred dissolved her body into the shadows while the laughter of the devil herself took it’s turn through the room. A laughter that went through marrow and bone of every create that heard it. Especially through Celestia.

Even though the almighty princess of the sun was knocked out against the wall, she regained some of her knowledge thanks to the laughter. Initially she didn't manage to get herself standing again, but the thought of her land, their shared land, only seeing the darkness of the night for all eternity, was something she couldn't even think off. Thus with all of the strength in her body she managed to hoist herself up and lay her eyes upon the shattered stained glass that laid on the floor. “N-No...this is...” she managed to mumble before her eyes caught the darkness she was in. A darkness that even got under her skin.

“I won’t, let this, happen,” she spoke as her horn gathered so much power, in so little time that her eye lost all of their coloring and turned completely white. Her regally flowing mane gradually turned themselves over into a fire that could only be matched by the sun. Though it was only its waving pattern became like that for as the coloring was held the same. With another nod of her head, a sphere created itself around Celestia that caused her to drift up to the vortex and with her piercing white eyes just stared at it.

But then the words left her, were words spoken in a demanding yet harmonious tone. Words that were loud enough to come over the sounds of the vortex and the voices within. “You may vanquish the sun from the skies, but you shall never vanquish it out of the hearts of the subjects. Once gone from the skies, they shall only wish more upon it, leaving you again where you were. Or better said, where you think you are.”

The words were spoken so loud that even Starswirl himself could hear them. As they echoed within his mind he was happy for them. Because that was the Celestia he knew and loved. The princess had returned in his eyes. Little did he knew just what was going to happen next.

---

Nightmare Moon left the swirling shadow mass and merged within the physical realm again. She used clouds of shadow to walk over to the alicorn in the sphere. Despite the clouds being fluffy of their nature, each step that was taken still sounded like a metal thung. A sound that was originated by the shoes she wore. A sounds the announced her arrival whether she was wanted or not.

“Well, well, well, look at we have here, my sister finally mad enough to show her other side. Been a while hasn't it, Solarflare. But, we’re not the most craziest of mares. We are giving you the choice to stay with us, and live to watch your reign crumble and mine grow. What’s it going to be, Celestia? Join us and rule together, or perish like Mother and Father!” Nightmare spoke in a dead serious tone to the other mare. Her cat-like eyes glared over her sister. Neither of them were playing games, not anymore. The stakes were too high and the powers racing through their veins were at their peaks. The both of them ticking time bombs waiting to burst and the land would feel the result.

But Celestia knew better than anypony that the words couldn't be believed. They didn't add up in the mind of the alicorn. The only possibility of her joining Nightmare, would be as a living trophy for her to claim. A thing that was not going to happen. “Enough of your ticks, Nightmare Moon!” the booming voice of the alicorn spoke as she drifted over to the middle of the room. “The trial against you, shall begin now.”

“What? Trial!?” Nightmare spoke up in confusion as she looked around herself. It was only seconds after it that she erupted out in dark laughter. “Oh, oh, oh, now that’s a good one!”

“Silence!” boomed through the room. Loud enough to not only make Nightmare gone silent, but the vortex as well.

The old stallion on the rock shocked up as well from the outburst and looked horrified into the direction of it. “By the love of sun and moon, what’s happening in there?” he questioned himself as everything went silent. If he had dropped a rock, the two mares in the castle would have been able to hear it. In his mind he wanted to help the princess and his muscles were even ready to do so. But his heart countered the wounds as he promised her not to interfere. Torn apart by the epic and everlasting choice between good and evil.

“For your acts against the law of Equestria, by planning to lock the moon into the skies and the stonification of several guards who did nothing except their given job, you shall receive the heaviest of punishment that can be given to any soul,” spoke Celestia to Nightmare Moon. Her eyes locked on those of Nightmare and her wings spread out and the sphere broke itself apart.

“And that being, death? You’re going to kill your own sister now?” the dark alicorn questioned with a smirk on her face.

“No, banishment. You shall spend one thousand years upon the rock that you once considered to be locking. This judgement is spoken, as a celestial judgement!” the voice continued to boom as Celestia charged up her horn.

The eyes of Nightmare grew both big and small as she could only accept that came. A celestial judgement is the highest class of judgement that can be given and can’t be broken by anything except time. Yet as deceiving as she was, she still tried to find a way out of it. There had to be an exit somewhere, a gap, anything.

But it was all too late. For the horn of Celestia was charged up more than enough to cast the spell that would banish her own sister to the moon. Without any mercy it got released as one mighty white beam that shot towards Nightmare Moon, through the vortex and then proceeded up to the moon. Nightmare screamed and screeched as she was sent to the moon bit by bit.

“Sister, help me! You got it wrong!” faintly echoed within the ear of Celestia who continued to blast the being of hatred. Though the words kept echoing within her head.

It was only after the monster had been vanquished as a whole, that Celestia discharged her horn and both her mane and eyes returned to their normal state but the voice still rang in her head. When she finally understood that what it said, she didn't make a second go to waste and looked out of all of the windows.

Where she thought that her view was going to be blocked by the enormous amount of Nightmare Forces or even that she had to fight all of them, they did something unusual. They dissolved themselves into nothing more than what they were, shadows. Shadows of everyday items that didn't and couldn't do any harm. With Nightmare gone, their existence was useless. But the fear struck Celestia first, she couldn't bare looking at the moon. Not when she saw the state the Old Castle itself was in. It broke her heart once she noticed just how much damage was done to the once so lovely place. “No,” she managed to bring out.

With a deep gulp in her throat did Celestia finally turn herself over to the moon. But the sight she caught wasn't one she liked to see. “No, no, no, no,” she repeated while tears built up below her eyes and eventually ran out of them. She couldn't believe it. The mare couldn't believe the fact that she had spoken the celestial judgement over her sister who was by that forced to spend a millennium on the moon itself.

With one final glimpse of the –soon to be– legendary mare in the moon, her shadow, the elder sister lowered her head in defeat. She regretted her done solution almost right away and just continued to cry more tears in silence. Neither of the sisters had gained in their battle. They paid a price higher than anything and only lost that what they loved most. They had lost, each other.

Epilogue

Celestia left the broken castle in utmost silence, she walked over the wooden bridge that led her over to Starswirl. The stallion had been watching the entire time. The old stallion could judge by the looks on her face that she had done something that she never wanted to do. Without a word spoken from his side, he just stood up and walked over to her. There was nopony else left to be her support. Her parents were gone into the vast realm of who-knew-where and she just had banished her own sister to the moon for a millennium because if a major mistake.

The elder stallion charged up her horn as he did a spell he would normally never do. He gained a set of wings. A set that was made out of one of the finest materials there was to be found. And that material was nothing else then stardust. One of the wings managed to place itself over the body of the broken princess who had closed her eyes and cried her sadness in silence.

But as the wing got placed over her body there was a feeling of warmth that went through her. A feeling that reassured the mare she was still under the guidance of something, or somepony. Though it was only after minutes of wandering through the dark woods that she held her pacing and her head rose up to the moon. Celestia then proceeded into doing something she almost never did and started to sing softly to not only herself or Starswirl, but also her sister.

“Luna, you're loved so much more than you know, may troubles be far from your mind, and forgive me for being so blind...”

---

But as the two continued their trot to the castle there was a being that was simply known as a changeling that overheard the words sung by her and quickly connected the pieces between the princess and the moon. Like lightning it scooted back over to its place of origin. An underground hive that was located deep within the Everfree Forest.

Through cave and tube it crawled before it reached the area it wanted to be. The throne room where a figure that was possibly the ruler his race laid down upon a sofa within the shadows, making the body invisible. All that was truly visible, where the eyes of the being, deep, toxicating green eyes. “I hope you have good news for me,” it spoke in a clear feminine sounding voice but there was a gentle echo within it.

---

“Your highness, if I may be so bold to, make the offer, if you ever require help with the raising of the moon or stars, I would be more than glad to...” the stallion spoke as Celestia dropped her body upon the throne back in Canterlot.

The mare would have looked over to the stallion before her eyes fell on the armor. It was back to Canterlot that it had teleported itself. All she could do, was give a sniffle and a sigh before her words got spoken. “No Starswirl, I appreciate the offer to no end, but I have to decline to it.”

“I understand it, your highness. If you will excuse me, I have to make my room ready.” the stallion spoke as he ran a hoof through his beard and then continued over to the grand doors of the room.

Celestia nodded to his words and she waited until he was completely gone. Once the doors fell shut again, her head turned over to a window that had a perfect view on the moon and the head of the mare in it as she started to sing softly. Singing her lullaby for a princess.

---

High above them, on the rock that was simply known as the moon, Nightmare laid down on the surface. She was torn apart by her personality’s. Nightmare continued to shout against Luna to shut up. Luna had began to cry for her deeds done against not only her sister, but also the land. Endless streams of tears ran down the face of the nightmarish alicorn as her eyes just stared down to the land below.

One thousand years she would have to spend there, to her it seemed like forever.

---

Deep within the hive like structure, the changeling had gone from its queen. And the figure that laid on the makeshift sofa of goo and slime erupted out in a dark chuckle. Whatever it had told, it must have been something good. “It is time for a visit.”