To What Ends Will We Go?

by dormagio

Rating: teen
Tags: Alternate Universe, Twilight Sparkle, Sad, Nightmare Moon, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark
Length: 1672

A short what-if story featuring a Twilight Sparkle, returned from a future where Nightmare Moon reigned supreme.

What if Nightmare Moon had been victorious? What if Twilight had never realized that the sixth element was magic? What if her friends and family were killed by an unfit queen? What if she wanted revenge and was willing to do anything to get it?

Published 2013-12-31 23:50:05 UTC
Last updated 2013-12-31 23:50:05 UTC

Two Devils Burn Together

“The night will last forever!”

Nightmare Moon stood triumphantly before the cowering body of Twilight Sparkle. The Elements of Harmony lay shattered at her feet as she boasted,

“Now nopony will stand in my way. What have you to say about that, foal?”

“I’d say imprisonment was too good for you you miserable bitch!”

Twilight jerked her head up at the sound of her own voice and gazed in awe at the armored figure that now stood between her and Nightmare Moon. Despite the menacing black armor and the aura of malice about her, the pony before Twilight Sparkle was definitely herself.

“What trickery is this?” Demanded Nightmare Moon.

“No tricks. Not anymore. Your reign of terror ends now, before it ever began.”

“My loyal subjects have nothing to fear from me. I seek only to take my place as rightful ruler of Equestria.”

“You’re as fit to rule as a needy foal. Your incompetence and cruelty as a ruler led to the ruin of our nation! My friends died because of you! I won’t let that happen!”

Tears streaking down her cheeks, the armored Twilight lowered her horn and began to charge a spell. Nightmare Moon held her position with a smirk.

“Please, no matter what you do, without the power of the Elements, you have no hope of defeating me”

“I didn’t spend fifteen years preparing to fail. Get ready to die.”

The armored Twilight began to glow a deep red as her armor shifted and grew. Great metal wings unfolded and her chestplate slid open to reveal an evil red gem. There was flash and she disappeared, only to reappear on the opposite side of Nightmare Moon. Nightmare Moon let out a laugh.

“If your only trick is a simple teleportation spell, then you spent fifteen years in vain.”

Future Twilight’s only response was to smirk. Without warning, Nightmare Moon’s side split open, splattering blood over her wings and the ground. She gawked at the sight before snarling,

“You do not know what you have just started, foal.”

Nightmare Moon’s eyes began to glow a deep black and the wound on her side sealed with a sizzle. Her light armor grew into a full suit of scale armor and her once blue mane turned a dark black. The entire room began to grow darker as the two combatants stared each other down.

Twilights five friends rushed up the stairs only to stop dead in their tracks.

“Is that-” Began Rarity, but Twilight cut her off.

“I really think it’s best if we don’t get involved for the moment.”

“But that’s-” Began Rainbow Dash.

“I need some time to think, okay? Either one of them could kill us on a whim, so let’s get out of here for now.”

There was a flash of red as the armored Twilight shot off a bolt of magic. Faster than a blink, Nightmare Moon was behind her, readying her own blast. Twilight pushed backwards with her front hooves and delivered a glancing blow to Nightmare’s muzzle just as she fired. The shot went astray and blew a huge chunk out of the wall. Spinning on her back hoof, Twilight lit her horn and blew a wave of fire out of her mouth. Nightmare Moon recoiled, but quickly retaliated with a swarm of ice shards that slashed through Twilights mane and skin. Twilight leapt backward and deepened her stance. A large magic circle appeared in the air before her as she said,

“Corum Dustrum Destructus!”

Hundreds of golden spheres shot out of the circle towards Nightmare Moon. The dark mare quickly threw up a large icy shield and began to charge the stationary Twilight. As soon as her spell ended, Twilight lit her horn and said,

“Ignus”

The floor beneath the two ponies erupted in fire, igniting the golden spheres. Hundreds of explosions shook the room, causing Nightmare Moon to trip. Twilight Leapt at her, a dagger sliding from the leg of her armor. Nightmare Moon lashed out at her, but received a slash to her right hind leg. Growling, she rolled to her feet, only to have her hind leg buckle. She shot a glance at her leg to see it bubbling with a green liquid.

“Hehehehe...”

Nightmare Moon glared at her prone enemy. Twilight Sparkle pushed herself to her feet, spitting up blood in the process. As she wiped blood off of her malicious grin, she said,

“Nocturne Symphonia, a deadly poison known to be untreatable by any kind of magic. I don’t think it will kill you, but it ought to slow you down.”

“To think that one who thinks herself so superior would stoop to such tricks.”

“Who says I think I’m better than you?”

Twilight retracted the blade and leapt backwards towards the wall. Her horn lit up and fire began to dance around her hooves.

“Ignor Eflim!”

Fire ballooned outwards as her rear hooves impacted the wall. She spread her armor wings and launched herself in a roaring fireball towards Nightmare Moon. The dark mare quickly summoned an icy shield, but was still knocked to the side by the impact. Twilight plowed through and landed hind legs first on the opposite wall. As she launched herself again, Nightmare Moon leapt to the side. Again and again, they danced across the floor, Nightmare Moon taking glancing blow after glancing blow. Finally, the ebony mare rolled to her back just as Twilight passed over and kicked up. Twilight careened into a wall, which collapsed under the force. Nightmare Moon lit her horn and began to change her armor. Further plates emerged from within, strengthening her armor further and reinforcing her legs. Dark plates emerged to cover her wings and her helm began to grow downwards, connecting to her chestplate.

“Your insistence on fighting is wearing at my patience. I believe it is time to end this farce.”

Nightmare Moon raised her horn and began to glow with a dark energy. The open sky above them began to fill with swirling clouds, winds began to blow and rain began to fall down in sheets. As Twilight pulled herself from the rubble, she saw a tornado touch down around Nightmare Moon. Loose stones and furniture were pulled into the swirling vortex as Nightmare Moon’s cackle sounded over the storm.

“Let’s see how well your puny magic can stand against this!”

The clouds of the storm darkened further and the rain began to swirl around the tornado. A bolt of lightning crashed down next to Twilight snapping her out her daze. She rolled to the left as another bolt hit right where she had been standing. She broke into a run as the bolts began impacting faster and faster. Dashing desperately, she gathered her energy and began to chant.

“Protrum Uxum Inctum Varum Norsum. Voora Trimu Norsum Vit!”

As she finished the spell, a large, blue magic circle formed two feet above her, covering her entire body. She ceased running and spit up more blood, placing her forehooves in the puddle. Her horn lit up a dark red and black fire began to creep downwards, towards the blood. The bolts of lightning were impacting faster and faster, but the shield was holding. Winds and water impacted her spell creating a cacophony around her, but she kept focusing. The blood at her feet caught fire and expanded into a burning magic circle. Had Twilight’s eyes been open, she would have been blinded by the lightning strikes now impacting the shield, but she held her focus on her spell. Black fire rose from the circle and filled the shield.

“IGNUS FERRUM DESTRO!”

The black fire surrounding Twilight collapsed inwards and condensed into a ball at her hooves. Her teeth clenched in pain, she stomped her hoof on the black sphere, crushing it. She let out a scream as the storm abruptly stopped. Nightmare Moon fell to the ground with a dull thud. As Twilight limped towards her, she turned her glassy eyes towards the approaching mare.

“How?”

“Blood Magic”

“But you need a massive amount of blood for that. You only cut me once.”

“I didn’t use yours.”

Nightmare Moon’s eyes widened.

“You used yourself as a focus?! But that must have-”

“It did. Like I was being burned from the inside.”

Nightmare Moon closed her eyes and a smile spread across her face.

“Then I suppose I must thank you.”

“Thank me?”

“If you hate me that much, then I must have been worth stopping.”

Twilight smiled as she sat down next to Nightmare Moon.

“You know, I get the feeling that we could have been great friends.”

“As do I Sparkle. Perhaps we can try again in the next life.”

Twilight looked towards the clearing sky and lit her horn one last time.

“Let’s find out.”

Author's Note

This is just a little scene I wrote because I felt like writing a high magic action scene. If it wasn't obvious, Twilight is using the Alicorn Amulet to heighten her own powers. I figured that, knowing what it did, she could train her will so that she would not be overwhelmed by it. Realistic or not, it made for a cooler story in my head. Likewise, the armor she wears was designed by her to help control the amulet's power. The final spell was a manipulation of the blood that twilight had gotten on Nightmare during her flybys. I picture the blood jabbing inwards and skewering her from multiple directions. Kind of like the Magician's Sword Box trick.

I may decide to lengthen the fight at some point, but I just kind of wrote this because I felt like it. If you have any questions about what happened, feel free to ask. I am pretty sure parts of this were unclear. Also, if it wasn't painfully obvious, none of the spells meant anything. I just made them up with words that sounded right. Some of them have some etymological basis, but they are just gibberish.