Chapters “Darkness will devour light, as madness will to sanity. The ground will fill with the living, then the rivers will flow with blood.”
Equestria had been the same for a very long time since Celestia and Luna defeated Discord using the Elements of Harmony . Peace and harmony reigned throughout Equestria. All was well with the Royal family, or so everypony thought so.
Unknown by everypony except those of the Castle guard, was Celestia and Luna in fact had a sibling. No pony had ever seen him, so no pony knew of his existence. It was thought to be only Celestia and Luna that resided in the Canterlot Castle, but this wasn’t true.
He would always be there for Celestia and Luna for any question they had. He was always light-hearted, free, so to speak. But he had the unfortunate situation as not to have a cutie mark. This made him the subject of ridicule by most members of the Royal Guard. Comments, such as the ones made to him by the most trusted of Celestia’s men, made him go into seclusion. He forcefully broke the lock to his bedroom door, preventing access, or exit, from the room, even by the use of magic, force, or persuasion.
In his room he stayed for months, never to speak to anypony. His sisters worried for his well-being, but he would not speak to them. Soon the guards began to worry, for he had not come out to eat, drink, or anything, for there was no way for him to make food, or go to the bathroom, most guards believed he’d committed suicide. Eventually, Celestia herself believed it, no matter how much she didn’t want to. They believed there was just no way he’d have survived in seclusion that long without food or water.
Eventually, Luna believed too, and they tried to make living in the castle as normal as they possibly could. Even though their older brother may lie dead, upon the luxurious carpeting of his room
.
“Sister, how will we manage without Eclipse ?” Luna asked, a stream of tears trickling over her left cheek.
Celestia looked as lost as Luna, but managed to reply, “I don’t know little sister. I honestly don’t know…” her voice grim and bleak, like the hoarse winter winds blowing about the leaves.
To the shock of the Guards, Eclipse emerged from his room, wearing a dark cloak upon his bulky, muscular body.
“Pr-Prince Eclipse! W-We thought you dead!” one of the guards managed to exclaim.
Eclipse did nothing but look at him, the silence piercing at him like a sharpened knife. His bleak cold stare freezing the guard in pure fear.
Eclipse managed to say in a hoarse voice, “I require an audience with my sisters, you shall make it happen.” The guards just stood there, the one on the right gulping harshly, “NOW!” Eclipse yelled at the top of his lungs, causing the guards to turn flank and take off down the long corridors.
The guards stormed into the princess’ chamber, panting heavily from running all the way to her. Their breath causing puffs of thick condensing breath to release itself from their lips.
One guard finally caught his breath, still panting slightly, and managed to say, “P-Princess Celestia, Yo-Your brother requires audience with you immediately.” He took in a deep breath, and proceeded to lay himself lightly on the floor, not having enough strength to stand any longer.
“Our b-brother?” Celestia said with a shocked gasp, not believing what she had just heard. “Surely you are pulling our legs, how can he have survived that long in seclusion without basic necessities?”
Luna stopped her train of thought, “Sister, we should just be glad our brother is alive. Return to him and tell him we will meet immediately, here, in the chamber.”
The guards nodded, and returned into the corridor back to Eclipse. Leaving the princesses to gather their thoughts, alone, in the chamber.
“Maybe he accidently broke the lock; maybe he tried to signal us. Maybe we weren’t paying enough attention.” Luna cried out
Celestia sat on her throne, “Perhaps, but the way the guards ran in here, they were afraid of something.” Celestia stood up, her hair flowing majestically.
Luna scoffed, “Perhaps you haven’t noticed, but the guards don’t like Eclipse. They fear him, the limitless power he-..” Luna’s thoughts were stopped by the guards rushing back in, they were panting even harder than before, with a more worrisome look in their eyes.
“Your majesty, the door is still sealed. No sign that it has been opened. Still broken, and locked in the same position, even the layer of dust still lay upon the door in an even coat.”
Luna look agitated, “What do you mean by that?! You just were in here telling us of Eclipse’s desire to meet with us! How dare you lie to us! This practical joke is unacceptable and downright despicable of you both!”
The guards backed away slowly, embarrassed by the scorn just received by Princess Luna, “W-We apologize your majesties, we thought we saw what we did, we apparently did not. We are very sorr-…”
Luna interrupted them, “Sorry?! SORRY! YOU DARE INSULT OUR INTELLECT LIKE THAT! YOUR ACTIONS -...”
Celestia softly touched her little sister’s shoulder, cutting her off from her enraged speech. “Now Luna, they thought they saw him, there is no need for us to give them a tongue-lashing, I told you Luna. We do not operate this castle in such a manner.” Her words soothed the atmosphere.
Luna looked down, “Yes, sorry big sister. I-I just really wanted to see Eclipse again…” She admitted. “It will not happen again sister, I promise.”
Celestia smiled then looked to the guards, “Surely you need to gather your thoughts. We will grant you the rest of the day off, and the option to return tomorrow if you so please to.”
The two guards nodded, “Yes ma’am, thank you princess.” They slowly backed out of the room, lightly red from the event that had just taken place. The guards walked slowly to the room where they are to store their armor and proceeded to remove the copper-plated chest-plates.
“Well Tenor, surely that couldn’t have been a vision…Right?” One of the guards said to other.
Tenor turned to his partner sighed then replied, “I’m not sure Treble, but surely it couldn’t have been something we’d just imagined. For we both saw it, and there was something unworldly about it. I-I just can’t piece this one together Treble…Sad to say, maybe we just need a day off. A single day to relax and gather our thoughts.” His voice was one of defeat, and the look on his face of the same feeling.
Treble was saddened by his partner’s gaze, a hopeless stare of defeat. “Don’t worry Tenor, the princesses will think no less of us for taking proper precautions. We will come back rejuvenated and more aware tomorrow. Now, we must hurry to go, before anything else strange happens…”
Tenor nodded, and the stallions left the castle. Unaware of what events would unfold from that very experience.
Celestia and Luna sat in the very room still; Celestia looking confused desperately trying to piece together what had just happened with two of her most trusted guards. Luna was pacing back and forth just a puzzled as her sister.
“They wouldn’t have run to me like that if their words were not absolutely truthful. But they could not have seen him out of his room, if his door had been left undisturbed.” Celestia’s tone showed just how puzzled she was, her words echoing throughout the chamber.
“We should think nothing of it, the two are troublemakers. It was probably all part of a plan to get the day off, and you just let them walk out of here.” Luna’s voice boomed, her not noticing how loud her voice was getting.
“Dear little sister, please calm yourself-…” Celestia’s words were cut abruptly off by Luna’s annoyed tone.
“Once again, your weakness as a leader has shone through. You deserve not to be a leader, and one day, you’ll get yours!” Luna was enraged at her sister’s mindless decision.
“Dear sister, this is no way for us to be treating each other. We have more pressing matters right now Luna.” Celestia’s voice was smooth as silk, and calming as a nice warm herbal tea.
Luna sighed, and looked down hopelessly, “I know, this is how we are without big brother…He kept us in check, we stayed out of each other’s faces because he wanted us to. I’m afraid my mind is wandering, please forgive any angered out bursts, my thoughts are battling themselves…”
Celestia smiled, “Do not worry dear Luna, we need to stick together if we’re going to rule together little sister.” Celestia spread her wing around her little sister to comfort her, which appeared to work as a smile spread across Luna’s face. “Anyways, it’s getting late, we must rest up. I’m sure it was just them being a bit tired. The whole thing will blow over by tomorrow.”
Luna smiled softly, “Yes sister, we shall return to our quarters and rest and discuss the situation more tomorrow.” Luna began to leave the room, but her mind was not set to put the situation to rest, she wanted to snoop around and see if anypony else was in on it, what she thought and avidly believed the two stallions did. She was out, for proof.
Celestia came in at her usual time to see if Luna was asleep, which she wasn’t but Celestia left with a smile as the light of the hall faded as Celestia slowly, and silently, closed the door behind her.
Luna arose from the bed and snuck out avoiding the guards the immediately outside her chamber and began snooping in the temporary quarters of the Royal Guards where they stay while protecting the princess, which Tenor and Treble have been for the past three weeks.
“I shall see what they’ve been up to, and prove to my dear sister how naïve she’s been.” She focused her magic upon the lock, when suddenly the door sprung open releasing a thick cloud of smoke and a burst of heat her eyes focused upon what was inside of the room… Fire
Luna ran about yelling as loud as her lungs would allow her to, “Fire, fire! We have a fire in the temporary quarters!”
Guards ran to her with massive amounts of concern, as Luna told them what she saw they took off down the winding corridor, only to return with a worried look on their face moments later.
“Pr-Princess Luna? Are you…uh…feeling okay?” The guards had an increasingly worried tone with her.
Luna looked dumbfounded into their eyes, and replied, “I am feeling fine! But the fire!”
The guards looked at each other worried, “Princess Luna…There was no fire from what we saw, the door was closed. It was completely undisturbed from how the other guards left it…Perhaps, you need some rest, I know controlling the moon and all has put a lot of stress onto you. Take some time for yourself…” The guards then walked off, leaving Luna completely dumbfounded in the castle’s main hall.
The next morning Luna arose, still disoriented from the events that took place last night. She thought nothing of it, as she arose fresh as a daisy. She stretched as she noticed a small piece of paper by her bed, a personal note she had written, and put upon her nightstand last night.
“Strange, I put this on my nightstand…D-Didn’t I?” Luna puzzled, looked around her room for any place that would cause the gust needed to knock the note off her nightstand. There was none, she sat at her desk asking herself how that could’ve happened without a possible gust to push it over.
At that moment Celestia entered the room with a worrisome look in her eyes, “I heard about the incident last night with the guards. Luna! How can you joke about such a serious thing!” Her voice was of shock.
Luna looked down shyly, “Celestia…I wasn’t joking, I saw a fire. I felt the heat coming from it! I smelt the burning carpeting! You have got to believe me!” Luna noticed how she was talking. The exact same way the stallions had last night.
Celestia was shocked, “L-Little sister?” She looked extremely worried of Luna now.
“Please sister…Y-You have to believe me…” Tears started rolling from her eyes uncontrollably, as if her eyes were a water balloon that had been delicately pierced.
Celestia went over to her, “I believe you Luna, but do you now believe the stallions?”
Luna stared down and replied with defeat in her voice, “Yes sister, I believe them. But how is it that we’re seeing things! This can’t be a coincidence you know…” Luna was shocked at the words she’d just spoken, she didn’t feel like herself, and it was starting to show.
The two stallion guards Tenor and Treble returned to Celestia in their armor confused by the scene they’d walked in on. “Princesses? What’s the occasion? What’s with this meeting?” Treble said then looked at Luna, “Princess, how incredibly shaken you look, it’s as if you’d seen a ghost!”
Celestia stood up, “I’m sorry for the grim scene you’ve walked in on. But Luna has something she wants to speak to you about.” She moved and Luna stood up and walked toward the two stallions shyly.
“I’m very sorry I didn’t believe you. But I myself, last night, experienced something I cannot explain…” Luna started blushing embarrassed to have to apologize to them.
The guards were taken back by Luna’s tone and apology. “It’s okay princess, we’re all a bit shaken up…But we’ll stand by your sides, for when you truly need us!” Treble and Tenor stood up tall, confident, and most of all, determined.
Luna stood up and smiled, “Thank you for forgiving me. But this can’t be a coincidence, something strange is going on.” Luna began walking up to her desk to grab the note she’d lain on it moments ago. “It’s gone?! But I had just put it here before Celestia walked in!” Luna was now worried, “Something is going on, I’m missing my notes, some of my books are gone, my sheets were flung off me last night…”
Tenor spoke quietly, “Are you thinking it might be…a…ghost?...”
Celestia looked at him, “Of course not, just some slight mental paranoia with you all…But something is strange, half of my letters have mysteriously disappeared. You know the ones I use to contact most ponies in Equestria.” She had started to sound a bit off-put by the current situation.
Tenor and Treble looked at each other, “Ma’am, Treble said he woke up with most of his possessions thrown out onto the floor. I this morning had a tight push upon my chest. Whatever it is, it wants us all dead…”
Luna gasped, “D-Dead?! I’m much too young to die!” Luna was now pacing in a circle, with sweat coming over her forehead.
Treble spoke strongly, “It wants me and Tenor dead. It simply is making itself know to everypony…It’s very strong, and very determined.” Treble gulped softly, “It won’t stop at just that…The visions, the hallucinations…It’s madness, literally madness.”
Celestia and Luna looked at the stallion intrigued at his words and sat quietly as he spoke.
“What it’s doing is wearing us down, it’s getting into our minds! It’s literally driving us to the point of madness princess! And…we have no way to retaliate to it…” Treble sighed, and toughened his look. “Unless…It’s not a ghost…It knows our fears, our pet peeves, and…It knows it’s way around the castle. Nothing that’s happened has been a coincidence, somepony is doing this to us. Somepony with magical powers, a unicorn perhaps.”
Tenor abruptly cut off Treble, “But there are no unicorns here in the castle currently, just the Alicorns like Celestia, Luna and…Eclipse!” He spoke his name as if he had a “Eureka” moment.
Treble looked onto his partners face, his face contorted with fear, “Are you implying it’s Eclipse doing this to us?” he said shakily.
Tenor looked back, “Yes, he’s the only one who can do such magic. Such spells require large amounts of energy and magical ability. Magic...magic…Perhaps that’s how he’s survived in there! Why the magic wouldn’t open the door!” Tenor now paced back and forth.
Celestia looked shocked, her jaw nearly dropping, “Are you accusing my brother of such things! He would never hurt a fly! Besides why would he want to hurt you stallions anyways?” Celestia looked into the stallion’s eyes as an awkward look passed over them.
Tenor chuckled, “W-Well…Me and Treble…Kinda…sorta…” he couldn’t get the words out right.
Luna was impatient, “Well?! Out with it then!” she demanded.
Tenor sighed, “Me and Treble are the ones who got everypony on guard to make fun of him…He didn’t have his cutie mark so we thought that he was...” Tenor gulped, “As we said it…Pathetic?” He chuckled nervously.
Luna and Celestia looked at the stallions in shock, Celestia’s most trusted guards, are the ones who drove their brother to seclude himself in the first place. Celestia’s gaze turned grim and she got up and her hair seemed to droop slightly.
“You drove my brother to seclude himself from everypony.” Celestia said, “But we cannot be certain it’s my brother doing this. We can’t blindly say that he’s done what he has…But…” Celestia turned to her little sister, “It all fits perfectly…” A stream of tears began out of Celestia’s eyes. And the room filled with the gloom of the princesses.
Celestia and Luna gathered all the Royal Guard in the main room, to speak to them. “Everypony, we have a dire situation on our hooves. We believe all of the experiences that have been going on are being caused by my dearest brother…Eclipse, the Alicorn you all ridiculed to make him seclude himself from everypony in the first place. But remember my faithful suspects, he is threatening the very peace we set in motion all across Equestria. This makes him a menace, and a force that needs to be stopped. For the fate of all of Equestria!”
The guards roared, “FOR EQUESTRIA!” and looked upon the princess. Then immediately turned to a new source of a booming voice
It was Eclipse! He sat there staring upon the princesses and the guards, his eyes a pulsating red. And on his flank, was a skull with knives crossing them, the Mark of the Madman . His smile twisted and distorted, his eyes so captivating, for all the wrong reasons.
“Well, I got my cutie mark.” He said as a booming chuckled bellowed from his lips, “Well Celestia, I thought you’d connect the dots so much sooner. Oh well, you’ll all be dead soon anyways.” He finished as he laughed sinisterly chilling the very blood in everypony’s body.
One guard managed to say, “GET HIM! FOR THE PROTECTION OF EVERYPONY IN EQUESTRIA!” he ran towards Eclipse only to be stricken by his mighty horn. The guard let out a grunt, and a dying bellow as he coughed up blood and lie lifelessly upon the floor.
“I’ve sharpened my horn,” he chuckled more, “It should make quick work of you little ‘Royal Pansies’. If you’re man enough, meet me out in the courtyard.” Just then he disappeared without a light flash or sound.
Celestia stood horrified at what had just unfolded, her eyes constricted in fear.
Luna looked up, “To the courtyard everypony, we’ve got a menace to take care of!” she lead the way out to the castle door, leading to the courtyard stopped from going out by Tenor and Treble.
“Princess Luna, Stay in the back with Celestia. Your lives are much more valuable than ours.” Tenor said with determination and strength in his voice.
Luna sighed, “Okay, but everypony’s life is just as important as another’s.” Luna smiled softly at him.
Tenor nodded and proceeded out to the courtyard, and there stood Eclipse waiting for them in the freshly cut grass.
Tenor walked first, “I must ask you to surrender yourself to the princesses!” he said commandingly.
Eclipse stared at him, “Uhhhm, NO!” He laughed, his laugh carrying into Canterlot itself. “The road to redemption is paved with friends, hard work, and sweat. The road to glory…Is paved with bodies and blood! Darkness will devour light, as madness will to sanity! The ground will fill with the living and the rivers will flow with blood!” His final laugh bellowed like somepony’s voice in a canyon. His figure was unworldly, and his attitude unbecoming of anypony.
Tenor and Treble looked up at him angrily, “CHHHAAARRRRRGGGGGEEEEEE EVERYPONY!” as they ran up to Eclipse and everypony on the guard followed closely behind.
Eclipse smiled twistedly and picked the stallions off one by one, seeming to enjoy watching them suffer and die. His face turned to one of pure pleasure. He started to truly enjoy their pain and anguish!
Tenor managed to say, “Princesses! RUN!” as Eclipse’s very horn pierced through his chest, and when Tenor fell to the ground, Eclipse continually stabbed him until his motions ceased.
Celestia and Luna heeded the warning, and ran back into the confines of the castle, locking any doors that could be and reinforcing everything that they could.
“Is this the end Celestia?” Luna started to cry, lightly weeping. “Is this how we’re going to die! By the hands of our very own brother?!”
Celestia looked to her scared weeping little sister, “No Luna! Of course not! We need to stay strong Luna! We mustn’t lose hope yet!” Celestia thought to herself, but every option in her mind, would end in their very demise.
Luna sat bawling in her sister’s grasp, pleading for her very life hoping that the end would not come this soon to her and her sister.
“S-Sister,” Luna said wiping her tears, “If this truly is the end, I must let you know that I love you big sister. No matter what happens I will love you Celestia.” She then hugged her older sister as she began to cry once again.
Celestia shot up, “Luna! That’s it! Our love for each other and the Elements of Harmony should help with what we must accomplish!” Celestia had a cheery type of tone now, a plan hatching in her brain.
Luna stood up, “The Elements of Harmony! Of course! We can use them to weaken him, if not completely turn him to stone. It’s not something I wish upon dear older brother, but he’s given us absolutely no choice but to do this. He must be stopped before he hurts somepony else!” Luna began to sound concerned.
Celestia nodded, “Yes, let us hurry to the chamber they’re in.” Celestia then opened the door and rushed in the the throne room, she then moved the chair to reveal a safe, one that can only be unlocked by Celestia or Luna’s magic. Celestia inserted her horn and the tumblers began to come undone, but when it opened. The elements were gone!
“On no no no no no no no no! Celestia! This is not good! He’s got the elements! We can’t defeat him without the elements!” Luna began hyperventilating, when the same booming voice towered over them.
“Your precious elements are hidden in plain sight. But without open eyes, you’ll miss their location. A place everypony fears, one full of danger and tales of murderous beings. You must travel to this place to find your precious elements. But you’re on a time limit sisters, you musn’t keep me waiting. You know how dreadfully impatient I am. Good luck, you’ll most certainly need it.” He laughed a wicked laugh, that towered over them for several moments.
Luna looked to her older sister and gulped, “D-Did h-he m-mean…” She couldn’t finish her thought the fear had overtaken her as she shook as if freezing cold.
Celestia looked easily as distraught, but managed to reply to her, “Yes Luna, Eclipse meant,” she paused for a moment and gulped slightly, “The Everfree Forest .” The very name sending chills down their spines. “I don’t like it any more than you do Luna. There’s a reason everypony kept out of there! And without our guards we very might as well be, it’s next unsuspecting prey.”
Luna gasped, “D-Don’t say that,” Luna, now completely consumed by the pure fear of having to venture into the Everfree Forest, replied. “W-We’ll make it through, we have to! To avenge everypony’s attempt to stop him, we must bring this madness to a halt!” Luna’s words echoed through the room, thought her body still trembling in fear.
“Yes sister, we shall survive, and if we don’t…” Celestia stopped her thought and teared up, not wanting to think of the effects of not getting through alive, or not being able to defeat their brother. She shook the thought from her mind, and went over to Luna, “Dear little sister, we must try. For the fate of everypony in Equestria.”
Luna looked up at her sister and took a deep breath, “Okay sister, we’ll prepare for the journey.”
Just then Celestia received a letter, it suddenly piecing itself together. She picked it up and read it aloud, “When you get to Ponyville, make sure you are on the ground for your wings and horns will disappear. A counter-measure to keep you from cheating. Unfortunately, the same goes for me. But the spell will be broken when you arrive where the elements are. So when your wings and horns suddenly appear, that means you’re close to the gold at the end of the rainbow.” At the bottom was stamped ‘~Eclipse’
“Well Luna, looks like our journey is going to be harder than anypony would have expected.” Celestia finished grimly, looking to her little sister. “Now I can’t at all guarantee either of us will survive…”
Celestia and Luna grabbed what they could for the trip, and proceeded out the castle doors. Both with a look of pure determination, plastered upon their faces.
“So, do you really think our own brother would try to kill us? I mean he’d gone completely bonkers, but he’s still out brother…R-Right?” Luna gulped at the thought they might not survive their trek into the Everfree Forest, let alone surviving through it to even get to the elements.
“Unfortunately, he’ll kill us at any chance he gets, he’s just toying with us now, knowing we’ll probably choke up.” Celestia tightened her saddlebags, one a bit larger than traditional ones with Celestia’s cutie mark embroidered into the side elegantly. With one final gulp, she turned to Luna, “Ready little sister?”
Luna nodded, and they made their way out of the newly crimson courtyard, ignoring the bodies and armor strewn across the elegant castle lawn.
“This’ll be a nice surprise to the gardeners won’t it…” Luna said jokingly, though nothing of what she said made anypony laugh, just made Celestia shoot a stern look at her, which made her immediately break eye contact and turn her smile into a straight frown.
“Luna, this carnage is no laughing matter. We must respect these stallion’s sacrifice to save us, and do whatever they can to secure the fate of Equestria with us. We will respect them, even in death.” Celestia was annoyed by her sister, though knowing she was only trying to lighten the mood, it gave her no excuse to use such a situation for a joke. But Celestia sighed, “Little sister, no matter what happens…You are still my little sister, no matter how much you can annoy me, I still love you.”
Luna cracked a smile, “Likewise sis,” Luna then proceeded to laugh, and move down the concrete pathway to where they would then need to fly to get to Ponyville, or at least to the ground where they can start walking before their magic and flight get taken away.
The sisters finally hit where they would need to fly, usually, the guards would have flown them down, but given the current situation that there was no royal guard any longer, they would need to fly themselves down to Ponyville. So the Alicorns looked at each other and with a nod took off down to Ponyville, and will surely give the ponies a shock when they arrive.
Luna flew happily and majestically through the air, smiling without a care in the world. It was as if nothing had happened, like the castle hadn’t been disturbed. But her happiness was cut abruptly when her wings disappeared. “Uh-oh…” Luna began screaming as she fell down, she’d thought that she would die before they even got to the Everfree Forest. But her fall was stopped by three pegusi who gently lowered her down.
“Thank you my little ponies,” Luna said with a smile looking into their faces. But her smile was crushed when one asked her something.
“Princess Luna, you’re not going to let him kill us like he did everypony at Sugar Cube Corner…Are you?” The smallest one’s eyes constricted in fear.
Luna was shocked, “Wha…What happened at Sugar Cube Corner?” she finally managed to ask them.
The three looked at each other the oldest one being a respectable young mare replied, “A pony, an orangish redish color coat, came in and just murdered everypony there, we tried to contact the Royal Guard but no pony would pick up.” She finished.
Luna looked sadly down, “I’m afraid there’s nothing left of the royal guard now little ponies…I’m afraid he made easy work of them, unfortunately…If me and my sister fail in our quest, that will be the fate of everypony in Equestria.” She said grimly.
The ponies gasped, “Oh…Oh dear…Thank you for telling us, we’ll go warn everypony. Good luck princess, he looked real mean…and scary…” The three pegasi flew off into the distance going to every shop in Ponyville warning everypony of the events to come.
Celestia caught up with her sister, “It’s good that they now know. They can try to protect themselves, but hopefully we can stop any further destruction from happening.” Celestia turned to her little sister and smiled, as they continued to make their way to the Everfree Forest, noticing the path of destruction left by the certifiable madman their very brother had now become.
The sisters reached the edge of Ponyville, and the entrance to the Everfree Forest, upon the entrance a sign lay forgotten. ‘Beware all who enter the forest, for return once inside, is not an option.’ Luna and Celestia gulped at the snarled warning sign, but not because of the warning itself, but the pool of blood near it, the blood not yet congealed, gave hint that the blood was fresh. Somepony had been killed here recently, and Celestia took this as a foreshadowing of how their journey would most likely end.
“Big sister…Somepony was murdered here, pretty recently. We’d best take warning from that and trek carefully,” Luna walked slowly forward and then stopped abruptly. “DON’T MOVE!” she managed to shout to her sister. Just then, Luna broke a twig off of a nearby tree and thrusted it at Celestia’s hooves.
Celestia was confused at what Luna was doing, but an invisible bear trap snapped closed. Crushing the twig instantly, the twig was thicker than ponies bones, for it would have done twice the damage to Celestia’s hooves than she would have thought. Shocked that Luna noticed that she asked her sister, “H-How did you see that?!” she exclaimed.
Luna smiled, “The way the light shines through of course, if you look the ground seems distorted around where the trap is set. That’s how I figured it out.” Luna looked around and undid all the traps allowing safe passage into the Everfree Forest. But still no way out, once they go in.
Just as they entered the forest, the very light was sucked from the forest. The only light that penetrated was the dim sun from atop the trees. The forest was dark, and there was no way to detect any more traps, if there were any, which they knew, there were. The darkness pierced their very souls, it began to feel uncomfortable.
Celestia remembered to what Eclipse had said, “Darkness will devour light…” A sudden jolt of realization shot through her mind, “Luna we need to keep our heads. I understand what his saying means now, ‘Darkness will devour light’ He’s going to try and make us go mad! He wants us to lose sight of who we are so he can pick us off separately!” Celestia hadn’t thought of his brother as a type to plan this far ahead, and this realization scared Celestia the most.
“Oh my, tha-that does seem to fit together quite nicely with this situation.” Luna had felt her fear returning, “Alright sis, We need to stick together then. We’re going to have to stay within range of each other.” Luna kept walking, but her sister, did not.
Thoughts not her own raided her mind, desperately Celestia tried to fight them off, but the thoughts invaded her thought process and took over control of her. Celestia smiled softly, but not her normal smile, this was a smile most, sinister. Celestia caught up with her little sister, but looked at her with a certain, chilling stare. Her very eyes piercing Luna’s mind, Luna could not make sense of her sister’s behavior.
“S-Sis? Are you okay?” Luna looked into her sister’s eyes, but Celestia wasn’t there, her eyes became little beady black dots in the center of her pupils. Her hair began swaying erratically instead of her normal majestic, rhythmic pattern. Her sister’s stare became bloodshot, the veins of her eyes becoming apparent, and revealed.
“Oh me? I feel…fiiiine…” Celestia smiled softly keeping to herself, “How are you, my…small, delicate, sweet little sister?” Celestia’s breath blew off steam in the chilled air.
Luna looked stunned at her sister, something had changed inside Celestia, and…made her go…mad. ‘…As madness will to sanity…’ Suddenly Luna understood, it was her brother behind this travesty! Luna looked at Celestia, “Celestia! You have to snap out of it! Please sister, he’s gotten to your mind! You have to fight it!”
Celestia’s gaze didn’t change, though she hadn’t taken her eyes off her sister since that stare had begun. “My, my little sister, did I ever tell you how, beautiful you are?” Celestia’s words became creepier in the darkness of the forest that lingered in the cold damp air.
Luna sighed, “You know, screw it. Celestia, follow behind me closely, you will not leave my sight, as I will not yours. Got it? Sis?” Luna stared at Celestia who stared blankly and ominously back, it was like talking to a tree stump!
Celestia let out a deep breath, her breath vaporizing in the dense forest air, “Sounds good to me, my sweet, sweet little sister.” Her gaze unchanging and slightly creepier now than ever. Her words becoming more, and more perverted, as this new part of her mind was expressing desire for her.
“CELESTIA! WE HAVE TO MOVE! NOW!” Luna screamed at her sister, though the words had sailed straight over her head, though when Luna started moving, Celestia followed suit. Closely behind, a little too close to Luna’s discretion. But as long as her sister was following her, she thought it would all be okay.
But soon the darkness, and sounds started to get to Luna, her mind slowly losing its grasp. Just then, thoughts invaded her mind not her own, she thrashed around trying to get the sensation out of her mind. When they came across a lake, and Luna’s thrashing sent her into it. Luna was not a strong swimmer and began being carried off by the current flowing in the river.
Just then Celestia snapped back into reality to notice her sister floating down the river. She rapidly jumped in after her sister, “LUNA!” she screamed after following after her little sister, both of them in the river’s grasp. Eventually the two came to a stop in the river where they shook off the water, and began again along their journey. Though they started to feel the cold damp air’s effect on their wet bodies.
Celestia attempting to keep her sister warm wrapped her foreleg around her. “D-Do not w-worry L-Luna, w-we will get through this. We w-will put a stop to our b-brother, and save E-Equestria.” Celestia stood up and they again began walking, aimlessly, into the forest around them. Unsure of where to go, the two sister begin to lose hope. When a creature of the forest, a small bunny, came to them.
Luna looked at the bunny and smiled, patting the bunny on its head. But the bunny took off, and stopped at a distance that they could see it and follow. The bunny was starting to lead them through the forest. Hesitantly the Alicorns followed, for they had no other option. But finally the bunny stopped at some sort of ruins, perhaps an older civilization that became forgotten, forgotten… ‘in plain sight!’
Celestia walked to the ruins, when hers and her sisters wings and horns re-appeared. They’d never thought they’d be so happy to see their horns and wings again. Then in a whirl of red smoke appeared, the bunny that had guided them had run off, only to be caught by the smoky entity before them.
“So this little thing guided you to me?” Eclipse said with a small gruff voice. “Well, he’s needed, no longer.” With a small squeak Eclipse stomped the bunny to death. “Now that that’s over with, I believe this is the part where I kill you.” He began conjuring a magical spell. When stopped by a strike of magic from Luna’s horn, losing his spell.
“Why you! I spent a while getting that ready for you, now I’ll just have to kill you in a more, inhumane way.” His laugh still bellowing throughout the forest. When a sudden glow started coming from his sister’s eyes. He couldn’t help but stop and look at them puzzled.
“Through this affair, we have learned to stick together! Sibling to sibling, love and friendship will prevail in the end.” Luna began saying as her eyes gleamed a sparkling white.
Eclipse’s eyes constricted, he knew the elements had mass power, but it was really showing now, he reacted hastily running towards them, but getting knocked flat onto his back by a burst of sudden magic.
Celestia’s eyes then began to also gleam the same white of Luna’s, both of them rising up from the ground, and a sudden flash of light shot from them, forming into a prism of light, and a rainbow that crashed over him fiercely.
He screamed, “IT CAN’T END LIKE THIS! HEED MY WORDS SISTERS! YOU WILL RUE THIS DAY! I WILL HAVE MY RETRIBUTIOOOOOOOOOOOOON!” The rainbow drained him of all remaining energy and magic. His body fell onto the ground, almost motionless, besides the breathes he was taking.
Celestia then walked up to her brother and cast a spell over him, confining him forever to the forest’s depths, banishing him. Almost spontaneously light again pierced the thick canopy, and Celestia smiled soflty. As for her sister, the magic had thrusted her body, and erased all memories prior to their meet up with their deranged brother. But Celestia thought maybe it was better that way.
Celestia grabbed her sister and began her way back to the castle. Worn out by the ordeal just befallen them, soon they would begin recruiting once more for the Royal Guard. Celestia felt there was something about her that was unstable, but brushed off the feeling. Celestia remembered what she had said to Luna in the forest, but decided not to tell Luna. For she didn’t want to worry her.
Soon harmony came back to Equestria, and everypony was happy again. But it is said that it is Eclipse that cast the enchantment on the Everfree Forest, causing everything to change on its own. And is said that in the depths still lurks Eclipse waiting for the moment Celestia is her weakest to break the banishment, and have his revenge upon everypony.
To this day Celestia and Luna will deny that such an Alicorn exists. They will deny the existence of their brother to avoid concern amongst ponies. But it’s said one day, that the release of the seven Elements of Disharmony emerge, his appearance would follow, shortly after.
Eclipse is the name of the Alicorn brother of Celestia and Luna, light red coat, long brown hair and tail and purple eyes.
The Elements of Disharmony are the opposites of the Elements of Harmony.
I put a reference or two in there, props to StreakTheFox for Princess Molestia
This was short yes, I know. I'll work more on length later.
Thankl you all for reading, this isn't my first work, but it is my first posted,
How did I finish so fast?
I had it finished before I uploaded it, simple as that
Hope you enjoyed my work
I'll probably re-do this fiction. It doesn't really appeal to me anymore, after seeing all of the longer and greater fics out there. This is not my best work by far! It's extremely short chapters kill me. I feel I could explain so much more in the chapters. But not for a while, I have people wanting me to continue my 'Portal: Ponyville' 'Conflicting Emotions' 'Fallout: Equestria Vault 1' and 'The Ballad of the Used and Broken.' I just released a crossover between Quarantine and MLP, and I'm working on a redux of 'Remember the Spectrum. So I have a lot of work that needs to be done. Not to mention my personal life (trust me, it ain't pretty.) But i appreciate the support for my fics.