Falling Temperatures

“LUNA!” I screamed as I bolted upright.

“I need to get to Canterlot now!” I thought to myself as I bolted through my home and grabbing my breakfast to go. However as I bolted through my front door, a familiar purple mass impeded my progress resulting in a collision full of limbs and groans of pain.

“What the hell Twilight?” I yelled as I forced myself up again. But as I bolted toward the train station I was restrained by a familiar hue of magic.

“Well good morning to you too,” Twi said in a scolding tone.

“Twilight, I.DO.NOT.HAVE.TIME.FOR.THIS.” punctuating every syllable with venom I never knew I was capable of.

“What is so important that it justifies running me over?” she questioned.

“It involves your former mentor, a sword, and several demons,” I deadpanned

She looked stunned, eyes wide, breathing erratic, and she was visibly trembling.  Taking the opportunity, I bolted towards the train station. However when I arrived my rational mind decided to remind me that I could teleport.

I arrived at the front gate of the castle panting from the magical overexertion.

The guards at the gate eyed me suspiciously with their weapons drawn. My horn glowed for a moment to reveal the Knightwatch crest. They looked at each other before helping me inside.

“Need to see Luna,” I rasped at the guards.

“She is not seeing anyone today; she has been in her room all day,” he said robotically.

“She’ll see me,” I told them coldly.

“If you insist, it’s your funeral though,” he deadpanned.

We approached Luna’s chambers and I stood in awe at just the door. The solid black structure was most likely obsidian or onyx. The blue gems sparkled beautifully against the stone, highlighting the moons on the door. However at the top of the door, set into the top of the door sat a large pearl and gemstone representation of Celestia. I couldn’t help but tear up at the sentimental beauty of it all.

I knocked on the door as I called into the room,” Luna? Are you ok? Do you want to talk?”

The door creaked open slightly and I peered into the darkened room. Only to be drawn into another embrace as the larger pony tried to crush me with her sorrows and lamenting.

“Please don’t leave me, I couldn’t stand losing another I have grown attached to,” I couldn’t tell if she was rambling or if she was being sincere.

“We should sit down,” I said softly motioning to the sofa by the window. As I sat down I noticed Luna was starting to lie down on top of me. I felt uncomfortable but I decided not to say anything. I began lightly stroking her mane involuntarily.

“I’m sorry” I stammered as I pulled my hand away. Luna looked up at me and smiled.

“Please keep going, it’s comforting, please,”

I reluctantly resumed my motions as Luna snuggled deeper into her position. She soon fell asleep and I just couldn’t help but smile at how adorable the “fearsome leader of the Knightwatch” was when she was asleep. Soon my own mind began to slow down as I drifted back into Luna’s realm.

Even in sleep I didn’t find peace. I was haunted by all of my worst nightmares at once. My friends being slaughtered, becoming the beast I so dreaded becoming. Also something new, something even more horrifying; I saw myself impaling a mare with my pronged blades. I couldn’t recognize her at first, but as the image came into focus I retched and heaved as I looked upon the mangled body of Princess Luna. All my nightmares swirled around me as I struggled and fought with my own mind. My sanity ebbed away under the force of the demons influence until a point of light brought me out of my torture.

I awoke with a start panting for breath. Looking down I saw Luna still asleep. I moved her to her bed with my magic and left to find Shining Armor.

The halls of the castle were uncharacteristically empty, not even guards were posted in the hallways.

“Something is up, Shinning would never allow this kind of lax security in the castle,” I thought as I approached the captain’s office. I knocked on the door and got no answer. I knocked again as I call, “Shinning? Are you in there, I need to talk to you,” I muffled sound met my ears as I vaguely made out the sound of struggling. I slid an ice blade between the door and its frame to freeze and shatter the deadbolt that Shinning had installed on his door. A satisfying crash later I saw Shinning bound to a chair and gagged franticly trying to get free.

“Who or what did this?” I asked as I moved toward Shinning. I removed the gag and bindings and he cleared his throat,

“I didn’t see but I have a good feeling we may have a few Vamponies in the staff of the castle,” he said glumly.

“Vamponies in the staff? But the only possible targets here are you and…LUNA!” I shouted as I took off towards Luna’s chambers. I busted into the room to find Luna standing over the balcony with what looked to be one of the castle’s maids held aloft in her magic.

“Foul creature did you think I was helpless, weak, a target, I assure you that I am none of these and I hope you enjoy your trip to Tartarus,” she said as she moved the mare closer to the balcony.

“You will pay for killing our mother witch. All of us will hunt you and we will end you,” spat the mare.

“Interesting… I’ll be waiting,” Luna said coldly as she released the mare from her grip allowing her to plummet from one of the highest points of the castle.

“Luna are you alright?” I asked

“I am fine, but you look like you’ve been through Tartarus though,” she commented lightheartedly.

“Well all my nightmares have been getting progressively worse and worse…especially the last one” I said glumly.

She looked at me with concern in her eyes and a knowing expression on her face.

“Tell me, I might be able to help,” she said mater of factly.

“Well even this one my rattle you,” I deadpanned.

“Try me,” she shot back.

“Well I saw myself standing in an open field with my blades pierced through a mare in front of me…” I trialed off, I didn’t want to put her under more stress than she was.

“Well who was it?” she asked.

“It was…you Luna, I…I killed you,” I managed to stammer out. I let my head and ears droop as I began a staring contest with the floor. I heard hoofsteps moving closer to me, I sulked even lower as she approached, not daring to look up at her. I felt a hand on my chin as Luna guided my eyes to hers

“You should not fear telling me these things,” she said with a motherly tone.

“I…I can’t risk hurting you, Twilight, or the others, I could never forgive myself if I did. Perhaps it’s for the best if I go down to the caverns and retrieve the blade,” I said as I moved towards the door. But before I reached it I was restrained by a force I instantly recognized as I was lifted around to face Luna again, her horn alight with her magic.

“You must believe me when I say that you would never do anything to harm us. It is not in your nature to even consider in the sli-“

“You don’t have to hold the essence of four of the most powerful demons Equestria has ever known in order to find a way to stop them,” I said, cutting her off. She looked generally surprised but otherwise understood what I was trying to get across.

“Retrieve the blade and go back to Ponyvile, finish your mission, then you will return here, understand?” she stated firmly.

I nodded and said, “Sorry Luna but I don’t know if I’ll come back alive this time,”

I heard her sigh as I left her room; I had to find Shinning again to gain access to the crystal caverns. I had a sinking feeling he would be outside.

“Shining, I need to get into the crystal caverns,” I call across the courtyard.

Shining was standing over a large bloodstain and a large white tarp with three other guards. He turned to me and cocked his head to the side.

“Why do you need to get into there?” he asked.

“I need to retrieve something that’s buried deep in there,” I said firmly.

“Fine but promise me you will return alive,”

“I can’t do that Shinning, I might not see the light of day again,” I said glumly.

Nodding he lit up his horn and I was teleported into the multi-hued light of the Crystal Caverns. I called back to the dream I had two nights ago to help guide me.

I soon became aware of two things, one I was lost, two I felt like I was being watched. I used my magic to create an ice totem as a marker for where I’ve been. After about ten minutes I found myself face to face with my own totem.

“Faust damn it,” I cursed at the totem. I soon became aware of an all too familiar laugh echoing through the caves.

“Discord come on this is serious,” I called at the cave.

“Aw I was just having some fun,” he replied as he appeared next to me. The slender draconicus stood a good head above me and was wearing a nice tailored suit, which was patterned very oddly with reds, browns, and even greens in some places.

“I’m not here to play games Discord I just came down here to find something,” I said as I looked at another fork in the caves.

“Here let me help,” Discord said with a sly grin on his face.

I created a dome of ice around him and glared at him.

“I don’t think I need you kind of “Help”,” I said while I air quoted the word help.

“You don’t trust me? I’m hurt,” he said faking distress. He disappeared in a flash of light only to reappear leaning on my shoulder.

“I know what you’re thinking, “Oh Discord won’t help me, he’s in it for the fun chaos that‘s going on,” he said jokingly, prompting me to roll my eyes.

“Well that’s where you’re wrong,” he said almost threateningly.

“Why would the almighty spirit of chaos resign to helping a lowly unicorn find something in a cave?” I asked sternly.

“Because your kind made a very grave mistake,” he said with fury in his voice.

“Fluttershy?” I asked cautiously.

“Yes, when your kind took her from me I… I felt so lost. I had lost the only pony who truly ever cared for me,” his eyes were filled with sadness, I think I may have caught a tear rolling down his cheek as he turned back to me.

“The path to what you seek is on the left,” he said emotionlessly as he disappeared again in a flash of light.

I turned left and started walking. Soon the cave began to shift to a deep glowing red as the blood rubies started becoming more and more prevalent. Soon the antechamber came into view, the glowing blue gem that held Soul Render right where Bloodlust said it would be.

As I approached the sword I began to hear whispers. Some encouraging, most deterrents and insults, however when I touched the blade another voice spoke out

“Take heed those who wield this blade, you shall take upon the souls of those slain by the blade as recompense,”

Regardless I placed my hands on the blade and yanked as hard as I could. I honestly shouldn’t have expected so much resistance as the blade seemed to slide out of the crystal easily sending me sprawling onto the floor of the chamber.

Getting to my feet I looked over my newly acquired weapon. The blade, a three foot long short sword, sparkled as If freshly polished; the blade gleamed and shimmered if the steel were still liquid. The handle and pommel where balanced but not perfect. The craftsmanship on the gemstone handle was spectacular to say the least; it was decorated with all sorts of runes and tribal patterns inlayed in the gemstone symmetrically. The runes hummed with power as I tested the swing of the blade.

“This feels great, almost as good as my ice blades,” I thought with a smug grin on my face.

I charged a teleportation spell as I pictured the door in front of Luna’s chambers as the spell whisked me away from the cave.

Exhausted, I knocked on the massive onyx door,

“Luna! I got the blade,” I called through the door.

The door creaked open slightly and I opened it cautiously. I saw Luna on the balcony watching the as the stars came to life under her magic.

“It’s beautiful you know,” I said as I walked up behind her. She jumped at my voice.

“What’s beautiful?” she asked

“The night, I’ve always loved it. Staying up till two in the morning, working, reading, relaxing, and even just having fun, the night has always been a haven to me, somewhere I could be safe,”

I turned to look at Luna, her eyes were up in the night sky but she wore a smile of satisfaction and gratification. She turned back to me and simply stated,

“Thank you,”

I nodded in response as I left the room. On my way out of the castle I ran into Shinning Armor again,

“Hey Shinning would it be possible to get a sheath for this,” I asked as I held up the blade. He looked the blade over and nodded as he said,

“It doesn’t seem any longer than the standard issue swords the guard have, here take this,” he tossed a empty pseudo leather scabbard form one of the guard swords.

“This will work” I thought as I fitted the scabbard around my shoulders and midsection. I looked out one of the castles many windows and sighed.

“Things are goanna get very interesting,” I thought aloud as I teleported back to my home.