A nightly guardian

A nightly Guardian

Chapter 12

Redemption

“Then please don't make me do this, dad!”, Silk Light cried, watching her father struggle to stay awake after what she had done to him.

“You are... like your mother.... You never listen...”, he chuckled, coughing while he did so. Her flames had obviously burnt some portion of his spirit bodies lungs.

“Listen... You can still live dad. Just drop this barrier and reunite with the rest of your mind, and you can heal yourself.”, she pleaded with him.

“As if... You are not yet... at peace...”

“You still wanna kill me?”

“As I said... you never listen.... I said peace... not death...”, Zeos voice was getting weaker by the second, and Silk knew that she had won the fight. She did not feel any happiness from that realization. What did her father mean? She was just so confused. For the first time since she had come into existence, there were barely any voices at the back of her mind, telling her what to do...

Could THAT be it? She looked down on herself. Only her flank, where her cutie-mark should have been, a few small spots on her coat and her mane and tail were still full of Death-Root-magic.... The strands her father had used against her, could have easily cut her to pieces, yet they did not. Instead they had ripped her from almost all the magic, that had kept her alive in the first years of her existence. However... she was now able to push the few voices that remained away, and think for herself, for the first time....

“What do you mean?”, she asked timidly.

“Peace... Not death... I want your mind to be finally at peace....”, he whispered in response. Silk had to lean in to understand it, and even then she could barely make out the words.

“My... mind?”, now she finally understood what this was all about. A thousand years ago her father had tried to extract her will, and her will only, from her mothers body. He would have left the Death-Root-magic behind, to extract that later....

The weight of what she had done suddenly crashed down on her, and she fell to her knees. The Death-Root did certainly refuse to be dispelled. It began to whisper to her harder then any time before, as she struggled to keep her own free will....

“He's lying!”, it whispered softly

“He's my father!”, she screamed back.

“They never wanted you...”

“I'm not sure about that anymore!”

“He attacked you, didn't he?”, it asked sarcastically.

“Yes... But he didn't hurt me. He just dispelled the illusions I cast on myself, and destroyed you!”, the teenage Alicorn responded dimidly.

“He's useless.... He is not even of your own kind! Why would he want you as his child?”, it whispered, a tone of amusement in it's soft voice.

Zeo watched his daughter struggle on the ground in front of him. She had her eyes closed, and for the first time he saw actual hope, that his plan was working. The few dark spots on her coat, that he had missed, were trying to expand, but each time they did they were pushed back again.

“That's my girl.”, he thought proudly to himself.

Then, the unthinkable happened. Her mane and tail began to envelop the body of his daughter, and he could hear her scream from within. The Death-Root was obviously not giving up that easily. As long as she had given in to it's corruption, it had lent her it's power, but now that she was fighting it, it turned against her.

Zeo dropped the barrier all around them without hesitation. A library even bigger then the one in Lunas mind swam into view. The great difference however was, that this one was much less organized. Books lay scattered everywhere, while strange devices were lined up on the walls. As soon as it was fully illuminated, Zeo could feel his strength return to him. His spiritual body was healing fast, and he could already breath much easier again. With a great effort, and still not completely healed wounds, Zeo threw himself into the black sphere that now held his daughter.

Silk Light was enveloped by darkness. She could only feel bone chilling cold, that threatened to freeze her very heart. Even so she was unable to see anything in this void of never ending sadness and rage, she heard voices. The voices of Ponies that had hated her. Ponies that fled at the mere mentioning of her name....

“No... It was not MY name... I''m not... I'm not Nightmare.... Moon...”, she cried into the darkness.

She saw the city of Canterlot burn all around her. Ponies that fled when they saw her. Ponies that burnt in her dark flames. She would make them pay for all the pain she had to endure, for all the time she had been unable to roam free. They would all suffer for her murder.

“I.... I...”, she stammered to herself, unable to fight these feelings and memories. They were here own. Not much in her mind was her own, but these were part of who she was. Silk spread her wings and tried to fly away from all the horrible scenes she saw. She just wanted to get away from here... She just wanted to get her.... peace....

But it was no use. The Death-Root was still too strong. What was even worse was, that she now realized that even her massive amount of knowledge about magic had not been her own. It had all come from the wretched poison that had almost killed her mother, and forced her father into a decision he had regretted up to this day. It began to overpower her once again, transforming her body into that of Nightmare Moon...

But then she felt something. Silk opened her eyes, seeing her father had jumped into the darkness with her, embracing her neck and holding on as good as he could without hurting her. The darkness tried to rip him away from her but he did not let go. It tore at his limbs, ripping out one of his legs, it whipped at him with strands of shadows, but he didn't react to any of that in any way. All he did, was holding her as tightly as he could, looking directly into her mismatched eyes.

“Silk...”, he whispered.

“My... my name is Nigh....”, she wanted to shout, but with a last effort of her TRUE self, Silk Light pushed that thought, and the remainder of the Death-Root off of herself.

“MY NAME IS SILK LIGHT! NOT NIGHTMARE MOON!”, she screamed as the magic that had twisted her thoughts for so long fell from her and evaporated on the floor. The moment it did, she looked at her fathers face again. He was smiling, with tears of pride in his eyes. She wanted to say something, to apologize for all the things she had done. Not only for those she had done to him, but for what she had put all of Equestria through. But then, she spotted it... A spear, made out of shadows, was stuck in her fathers back. Even the energy he got from the reunification with the rest of his mind, didn't give him enough strength to heal himself.

“No....No!No!No!No!No!”, she cried, her voice quivering.

Zeo did not respond, he just went on smiling, before he closed his eyes, knowing he might never open them again. But that was OK with him. If that would come to pass, he would at least have died while he protected what was dear to him. He was fine with that.

Silk gently placed her father on the floor. The only thing that was keeping his spiritual self alive right now, was the mind that was it's home. It could not provide enough strength to heal him however. An idea struck her. No longer restrained by her fathers barrier, Silk flew off and searched every shelf in the vast library.

******

Celestia could not believe it. There was not a single trace of Nightmare Moon left in Zeo. Instead she felt another presence inside of him. It was a presence that she had never felt before, but it felt strangely familiar.

But even if she had been an Earth Pony, and therefor unable to sense this new presence, she would have noticed that something was up. The black magic had completely disappeared. The pale blue one, was getting weaker, but it was now encircled by a light pink glow that seemed to feed it. Small strands of magic extended from the pink magical clouds, and connected themselves to the pale blue ones. Since they were the ones that vanished after a while, Celestia deducted that they were giving up all their energy, so the pale blue magic did not vanish completely.

The white Alicorn did not fully understand what was going on, but she knew that this pale blue magic was Zeos. Without hesitation Celestia used her remaining magic to intone a spell, that would do the same thing, the pale pink magic was doing. She was unable to help her brother in law directly, but she would not let him die. If she had to give up some of her magic for that goal, then this was how it had to be.

Golden clouds of magic formed around Zeo, connecting themselves directly to his body, and began to  force feed him with Alicorn magic. As she did that, one of the pink clouds broke away from the bunch, flying off without her noticing it.

******

Doody sat by his daughters bed, still holding her hoof. His wife had a nervous breakdown this morning, and had been unable to come to their daughters side. Even without the heart-rate-monitor that stood next to Lyras bed, her father could tell that she was getting weaker by the second. A scream from the hallway drew his attention to it, the door burst open, and before he had fully turned around, a pink cloud of magic came flying into the room. It enveloped his daughter, and pushed him  away. He wanted to get rid of it with his own magic, but found that his horn was silenced for some reason...

The instant the pink cloud sank into his daughters body, her eyes snapped open. The heart-rate-monitor showed that her pulse was getting faster, and her blood-pressure was raising again. She looked at him with a stern look on her face, as he wanted to embrace her.

“There is no time for this. I have to go dad. A friend needs my help.”, she said, as her horn began to glow and she phase-shifted through the bed and the floor below.

******

Twilight Sparkle and her friends had arrived at the hospital wing of Canterlot castle, to pick up Fluttershy. She had brought her friends element of harmony, and was wondering what the Princess wanted them to do with them. There was no threat she knew of, and Celestia had not mentioned anything in her letter, only that it was urgent and that it could not wait.

Just as the five of them were making their way to Fluttershys office, a pink cloud of magic flew past them. It threw over chairs, cupboards and everything else in it's wake. Even some Ponies were knocked off of their hooves. Twilight recognized it for what it was, even so not even the stunned doctors ,that looked after it, seemed to realize what it was.

“Regeneration magic...”, she muttered.

As fast as she could she galloped after it. Her friends were hot on her heels, thinking that this could be the threat they had been summoned here to deal with. She came to a stop just outside of Lyras room and was just in time, to see the mint green Unicorn disappear into the floor.

******

Luna slowly regained consciousness. The first thing she noticed was, that she was covered by her blanket, and her head rested on her own pillow. Had all this been just a dream? No. She opened her eyes to see her sister, with her wings spread and concentrating hard, pouring energy into a collapsed figure that was leaned against the wall. Luna sprang to her hooves as she recognized him.

“Zeo!”, she shouted, and wanted to go to his side, but Celestia stopped her.

“Don't Luna. He is dying. Something has happened and he has beaten Nightmare Moon, but now there is another presence instead of her. I can't tell who it is, but it is definitely trying to safe him. At this rate however, I don't think it will be successful.”, Celestia explained, tears running down her cheeks.

Luna looked back and forth between her husband, and her sister. He had ripped Nightmare Moon out of her, and pulled her into his own mind, to wrestle with her there. He had saved and cured her at last, and now he was dying as a reward for his actions. It was the same as back then, when he had saved her life during their very first meeting. He had saved her then, and his reward had been that he had never been able to see his friends and family again. Now he had saved her again, and his reward this time, would be death.

She just could not take it anymore. Without thinking, Luna took up a position next to her sister. At first Celestia thought she wanted to help strengthen her husband, but she couldn't have been more wrong. Instead Luna intoned the mind-link-spell and rushed to the aid of whomever was currently keeping her husband alive. It would be a strain on her, but her regained Alicorn powers might just be enough for her to survive it without a relay.

******

Silk had found what she was looking for. The phase-shifting-spell and the theory of magical strands manipulation. Instead of reading the books, she absorbed them by making them part of her spiritual form. In an instant she knew everything there was to know about the two subjects, and even so she now possessed everything she needed to safe her father, she still began to cry. The realization struck her. She was not powerful enough in her current state. Not at  least if she continued feeding her father her own magic to replenish his own supplies. But if she stopped that, he would die in a matter of seconds....

“Who are you?”, a voice from behind her called out.

As Silk turned around, to face the newcomer, she spotted her mother hovering not ten hooves behind her. She was in an upright position, a frown on her face and her forelegs crossed. Her mother was obviously not amused to find her here, nor did she recognize her. Silk tried to back away, intimidated by the sight of the older Alicorn, but Luna didn't give her the chance. Her face softened, as she spoke again.

“Look, I do not know who you are, but I am grateful that you are trying to help my husband. Is there any way I can assist you? What happened to Nightmare Moon?”, Luna asked much friendlier then before.

“I.... My name.... My name is Silk Light. I was Nightmare Moon.”, Silk stammered, avoiding her mothers gaze.

“Silk....Light?”, Lunas eyes widened in realization. Of course! The Death-Root-magic needed a will to act. There had been nopony else that had died in her vicinity, other then daughter. It all made sense now. The strange feeling she had when looking at that mare, the feeling of knowing her, but yet not knowing her. Also the strange reluctance of Nightmare Moon to use her powers to their full extent back in that fight Zeo in the old capital... The hesitation to wipe her from existence, and simply locking her away in her own mind....

With a sudden rush, Luna tackled her daughter, knocking over some of the book-shelfs in the impact. At first Silk thought her mother was attacking her, until she felt the tears that were dampening her fur.

“I am so sorry... I am so sorry!”, Luna cried into her daughters chest.

“It is OK. It was not your fault that I died, I realize that now. I realize that I have put you and dad through much. It is me who is sorry, mom.”, she cried, while returning the hug her mother gave her.

“But we must help dad. He won't make it much longer, at this rate.”, she pushed Luna away from herself.

“What has happened to him?”

“He has freed me from most of the Death-Root, but in it's final struggle for my will, it pierced him with a shadow spear. In the physical world he would be dead by now. Here that thing is not making him bleed out in a literal sense. Instead it makes his magic seep out of him drop by drop. As soon as it's gone, he will die. It drains faster and faster, and even so I can feel that aunt Celestia is trying to help, she is actually making it worse. She does it too fast, and too direct. I have no means of telling her that though.”, Silk elaborated, while the two midnight blue Alicorns made their way to were Zeo lay.

******

Lyra burst into a gallop as soon as she had entered the archives. She had to get to Zeos study. She did not know what awaited her, but the voice of the filly that had visited her in her dream, was still reverberating through her mind.

“You must come to my fathers bedroom. I need your help!”, it had said.

Behind herself she could see that the double doors opened once again, and six Ponies came galloping after her. She recognized Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Lyra came to a screeching halt, waiting for them to catch up.

“Lyra, what is this all about?”, the lavender Unicorn asked in confusion.

“I don't know exactly Twilight, I just know where we are needed.”

“Then what are we waiting for? If there is some big bad that needs a kick in the flank again, then let's do it!”, Rainbow Dash shouted enthusiastically.

“It's not that. There is somepony that needs help down here, and if my suspicions are correct, then the elements of harmony are exactly what we need.”, Lyra explained.

“Whatever do you mean darling?”, Rarity interjected.

Lyra took a deep breath and started to explain, even faster then her friend Pinkie Pie had ever done.

“Luna was poisoned over a thousand years ago because the Ponies back then did not agree with a diarchy and because she had married a human. The only human that had ever come to Equestria. They had a foal together but due to the poison that foal died before it was even born. It also changed Luna into Nightmare Moon some years later. I have had a visit from said foal in one of my dreams lately and I am positive that it was the genuine article since what came to get the foal was what ended me up in the hospital wing. Now that same foal has called out to me to come and help and I will not abandon her.”

All six Ponies in front of her, had their muzzles stand open. Even Pinkie Pie was more then impressed. Shaking of what had just happened, the bearers of the elements of harmony followed Lyra to the technology section of the archives and three big doors at the far end of it. The middle one stood open, and they rushed in without a second thought.

Lyra remembered that her mentor and friend had told to never go into Zeos bedroom. The door to that particular room however, stood wide open now.

******

Luna and Silk tried to remove the spear from Zeos spiritual body, but had little success.... It just didn't budge, and even the phase-shifting-spell didn't work on the spiritual plane. Silk had reduced it's mass however, by slashing the parts that sticked out of her father to bits with her magical strands. The parts that fell to the ground, evaporated immediately. She had read about this in her father mind. His magical circuit was not compatible with the Death-Root, so it died when it came it into contact with it without a host.

“Why doesn't this work?”, Luna asked her daughter.

“We are on the spiritual plane, and I can't get a good frequency reading from him. I guess he could push it off himself, like I did in the end, but he is not strong enough for that anymore. We would need something to separate him from it, so it will be destroyed at contact with his circuit.”, Silk elaborated.

“Only the elements could do that. I will go and get them as quickly as I can. You hold out here Silk, I will NOT let you die again.”, Luna said, tears in her eyes as she hugged her again. In the blink of an eye she was gone from Zeos mind.

******

Luna felt herself regaining control of her own body. She had a terrible headache, but that was to be expected. Just as she wanted to turn to her sister however, to tell her they would need the elements of harmony, she was stopped in her tracks. Lyra, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie Pie were looking at her with great concern.

“You don't know how good your timing is.”, she chuckled.

“Ehm, ah don't wanna sound rude or anythin' but what exactly is that?”, Applejack pointed a hoof at Zeo.

“That Applejack, is a human.”, Lyra said proudly, sticking her chest out.

“A human? I was thinking you were talking a lot of nonsense up there, but if that is actually a human then....”, Twilight looked at Luna.

“Yes. He is my husband.”, the Princess admitted.

“That's.... something.”, Rarity added. She looked a little sick at the prospect of interspecies relationships.

“Look girls, there is no time to waste. I see you have the elements with you. Use them, right now! Use them on him.”, Luna commanded.

The friends looked at each other, and then at Princess Celestia.

“You heard her. My sister has the same authority as myself, so you don't have to seek confirmation from me.”, Celestia snapped, without taking her eyes off of her brother in law.

The six shrugged. They did not know why they had to use the elements of harmony on Lunas husband, but they assumed they had their reasons. With their usual formation, they began to use the elements. A giant beam, made of twin rainbows, shot from Twilights crown and hit Zeo.

******

Silk could feel it. Some very strong magic was being used against her fathers body. All of her magical clouds that were keeping him alive had been overpowered, but she was delighted to see that her mothers plan seemed to be working. Slowly, but gradually the remains of the spear that had impaled her father, came out of his back until it fell fell to the ground. It did not evaporate however. Instead it formed tentacles out of it's remaining mass and clung itself onto Silk once again.

She screamed in terror.

******

“Something is wrong.”, Twilight said.

“What do you mean Twilight Sparkle?”, Luna inquired.

“There is some dark magic inside of him, but I can't get a fix on it. It jumps from one mind to another. Why does he even have two?”

Lyra did not understand what was happening, but she knew that she could help. The bearers were busy using the elements, and the Princesses looked quite groggy themselves. It had to be her. Charging up a bit of magic in her horn, she intoned the mind-link-spell.

******

“Help! Father! Somepony! Help!”, Silk screamed, as she tried to get rid of the tentacles that slowly spread across her left foreleg.

“You called?”, a new voice came from directly in front of her. A mint green Unicorn stood there, smiling brightly. It was her mothers student, whom she had hurt, and whom she had safed.

“Can you help me get these things off of me?”, she pleaded.

Lyra looked at the tentacles for a second and her grin grew even wider. This was more then an easy job for her after all the months of training with Luna, and getting medical lessons. Her horn glowed and a mint green aura enveloped the tentacles, effectively pulling them off of Silk. When they tried to grab her this time, her grin grew impossibly wide.

“Payback time buddy.”, she said as she intoned the purging spell. In a flash of blinding flames, the tentacles evaporated into nothingness. At the same time Lyra could feel herself being forced from the humans body by the elements of harmony. It was not a pleasant sensation, but she welcomed it. She knew that a prolonged mind-link-spell could have killed her....

******

Back in her own body, Lyra watched as the twin rainbows circled around Zeos body. She knew the deed had been done and grinned. Suddenly Twilight moaned in what seemed to be sexual arousing...

One of the rainbows broke away from Zeo and started to form a small tornado for itself. As the elements finally stopped working, their bearers fell to the ground and fainted instantaneously. The strain of using the elements for this long had been to much for them.

Luna looked over to the bearers of the elements of harmony, who lay unconscious on the dusty floor. They had deserved themselves a good long rest. The only thing that made her wonder was,what had happened to her daughter....

Then she heard a moaning from where the second rainbow had broken free to. As the Princesses eyes fell upon that spot, she could hardly believe them. In the debris that had once been a cupboard full of different tools lay her daughter. Unconscious, yes, but alive.