The act of falling is a strange kind of magic. Like a witch preparing a hex, a fall stalks us, whilst we remain all but oblivious until it strikes. We can be nothing except passive victims, the fall itself is inescapable. In falling we suffer a fundamental change of state. From an upright position of relative control we descend, if we are lucky only suffering injuries to our pride or authority, but more often than not the damage is also far more physical. A fall is therefore a furnace in which one cannot help but be burned, hopefully to emerge as a stronger alloyed material or else be destroyed utterly by the flames.

These thoughts and others ran through Twilight Sparkle’s mind as she fell. Cliché as it seemed to her, the world around was moving in slow motion. ‘This is possibly a bodily response to the realisation of its own mortality’ she reasoned. ‘As the threat of death approaches the body accelerates its synaptic responses,’ she continued, feeling a pang of regret that she would not be able to investigate further, ‘brought about as it attempts to experience as much as possible before the end. Strange that the mind should turn to such mundane things as studies and experimentation at a time like this though. Is it that we are incapable of conceptualising death because it lies in total antithesis to the rest or experience, or are we so set in our denial that we feign escapist ideas until the very last moment?’

Damp tunics clung to damp fur, creating the dead weight of a second pelt, made so by a mix of sweat and the incessant drizzle, which drummed a metallic cacophony of their outer skins. All pains from the march through the dense forest were lost, subsumed by anticipation as it swam between the golden ranks. Nopony spoke, nopony moved; merely the entire armoured mass dutifully remained at attention, gazing forward towards their purpose. Gleaming Cavalier stood as one of the faceless multitude: but one officer, in one unit, in one division of the grand army arrayed at the border of the clearing. Rain dripped lightly from the peak of his helmet’s nose guard, adding a shine to his already silver coat as it ran unpleasantly down his muzzle; however he could not move to wipe it away. Before his force he would not break rank and so he was motionless with the rest, waiting for the coming order.

Ahead lay the ancient seat of the Equestrian royal family, now a towering mountain of decrepitude, its spires reaching high above the woodland’s canopy towards the sullen sky. The palace sat on its own island of rock, separated from the rest of the Everfree by a sheer ravine, creating a deep scar in the surrounding earth, with all access bridges broken on the pit’s floor. This act by the defenders had complicated things, but their opposition was futile. Cavalier scanned the nopony’s land between the chasm’s edge and the outer walls of the ruin, picking up the movement of hooded figures amongst the rubble, repeatedly having to force the site of small broken hooves lulling out of the brickwork from his vison. His mind focused on the issue of tasks to come, knowing well it was easier that way. ‘They’re defensive positions will make the crossing difficult,’ he thought, ‘so move quick and pray to Celestia that the pegasus provide decent cover.’ He tried to visualise his future actions as he continued: ‘their positions are set in rows, so high risk of enfilading fire and…’ A pair of emerald eyes glinted out at him from the ramshackle bunker he was inspecting, immediately striking his internal voice dumb. Screaming rang in his ears, accompanied by the conflicting scents of iron and antiseptic, whilst a yellow face looked pleadingly into him. His hoof, clad with blades, came down again and again, splashes of crimson coating his foreleg, as the bloody odour became overwhelming. ‘No don’t think about it’ he ordered himself, breaking his own rules by shaking his head in an effort to regain control. The cries subsided, the green irises had disappeared. ‘Think of your oath, it’s your duty. You were just acting under orders,’ he struggled, ‘there was nothing you could have done. After today it’ll be over and then you can go home…’

‘Forward!’ came the little heard celestial variant of the Canterlot voice, drowning out the steady percussion of water droplets falling on armour.

The dams of held breath and restless reflection burst forth as everypony roared their battle cries. Cavalier yelled with the rest, turning to his soldiers, their backs straining against the weight of a siege bridge, and signalled the charge, breaking into a gallop towards the crevasse. Within moments they reached the obstacle, the distant shore becoming lit up by the burst of landing magical fire and the flash of horns as shots were reciprocated from the ruins, and the rough wooden crossing was hauled across the gap. The first of his force lowered their pikes, held in sconces at their sides, and plunged into the breach, forming a rapidly moving phalanx of spear points. He joined the second wave coming in behind the assault troops as they crossed the planks, to the thunder of heavy hoofsteps on wood, the sound being amplified as it resonated through the chasm beneath. However as the first formation touched down on the far bank, they suddenly disappeared in a plume of flames. A torrent of further explosions ran through the tight ranks filling the bridge, flinging some soldiers over the precipices at its sides, whilst others were simply consumed by the hot orange light. Cavalier instantly hit the deck, burying his head into the knotted and splintered surface. He felt the rush of air as the blasts passed his prostrate form, somehow leaving him unscathed, and he quickly returned to his hooves. Peeling away from their bombing run, a pair of winged pony-like creatures, decked in dark navy, pulled back into the sky where, instead of the tidy royalist formations he had expected, he found a separate battle was being waged. ‘So much for air cover’ he thought.

The bridge lurched violently, flames licking its quickly charring wood. No time to think, only time to act. ‘Get off this thing now!’ Cavalier yelled as he called power into his horn and enveloped the crossing in a silver aura. His soldiers obeyed, limping or dragging their fallen comrades off either end of the bridge, whilst it continued to lurch and strain. Finally he was left alone on the failing structure and, forced to dissipate his magic in the process, galloped towards the safety of solid ground. Ten steps separated him from his goal, then nine, then eight. The crossing began to bow in its centre. Seven steps, then six, then five. Cracks formed in the planks as joints began to fail. Now only four steps, then three, then… The bridge gave way, snapping perfectly in two. For a moment he was left suspended, as if floating in the middle of a lake, but then he was descending, falling into the shadowy jaws below.

Wisps of dust were stirred up from within the cracked surfaces of ancient walls and from the great hall’s rotten eves in which they had long been settlers, to fall in trails like smoke with every rumble which shook the room. The Princess of the Moon looked out over row upon row of solemn faces, filling the space beneath the drifting snowflakes shaken loose from the ceiling. Her mouth and tongue worked in unison against her inner tide, calling forth confident words of victory, glory and sacrifice, as she addressed the assembled crowd.

‘It’s all your fault.’

She continued to speak, markedly unaware of what she said, but desperately trying to hide the betrayal of hollowness in what she spoke.

‘All the blood is on your hooves and you only have your own self-serving ambition to blame.’

As the Lunar Princess concluded her final address, an officer stepped forward from amongst her assembled guard. ‘My queen, please make your escape. We can hold off the whoreson tyrant…’

‘You will not refer to my sister in such terms!’ Luna bellowed, sending the soldier back into the ranks with ears and bat-like wings lowered shamefully. As the loyal officer retreated her heart hung heavy. She had already asked so much of them, yet still they served without question and begged to sacrifice themselves in her place. ‘No,’ came her voice, authoritative but softened, ‘half of you will provide cover to the ground force, whilst the rest will escort the non-combatants to safety through the caves.’ Further mouths opened to give protests, but she silenced them: ‘you humble me with your continued cares, but I will not hear your objections. When my sister arrives I must face her to buy you all time. I am honoured to have known each of you and my love goes with you all.’

Luna watched as the ranks of devoted ponies, the happy few that she had been able to call friends in her mostly nocturnal existence, reluctantly departed.1 She felt a small shape nuzzle into the side of her neck and, without needing to look to see who it was, she extended her wing, wrapping it around the perfect creature’s body and drawing her into a tighter embrace. Her eyes closed as they curled around one another, creating their own cocoon of warmth, as each nestled their face in the others’ coat. Soothing waves washed over her as she deeply breathed the familiar scent, lifting her to float on a calm sea. It was just the two of them drifting together in the centre of a tranquil ocean, far from all land and beyond anypony’s reach. She had no desire to move, more than happy to remain settled in the protection of the meadows of velvety fur, but she knew she had to. Unwillingly she separated from her partner, remaining close as she turned to face the deep violet irises of the purple unicorn she had been holding. ‘Twi…’ Luna began, before being silenced as a set of lips stole all the words from her mouth. Eyes once more fluttered shut in pure contentment, but she had to resist falling into the depths of the kiss and drew back. ‘Twilight,’ she began again, attempting the hardest speech of her life, ‘you must go too.’

Twilight blinked, not truly taken aback by the instruction, but rather requiring a moment to absorb its meaning before she could reply. ‘No.’

‘You must’ Luna insisted, the corners of her vision distorting at the first threat of her tears. ‘You have given up everything in your support of me. All I have done in return is fail, both Equestria and more importantly you, achieving nothing except painful chaos. But I refuse to be the cause of any more hurt.’

‘No you… we haven’t failed and I’m not leaving you’ Twilight insisted, drops beginning to fall from her own eyes to mirror her marefriend.

‘The times we have shared have been the greatest moments in my life,’ the alicorn continued, barely able to maintain the vestiges of her stoical composure as she stumbled over her rushed goodbye. ‘With you I’ve finally felt free, the shadows which have long stalked me being excised by the merest thought of your affection.’ Luna summoned magic into her horn. ‘I love you.’ In a flash of blue light Twilight disappeared, her final mouthed words being simply ‘no’, as she was teleported against her will.

‘Buck!’ Cavalier swore violently, forehooves going to his head as he was wrenched into consciousness. His eyes shuttered open, filled with a fluid double image of the world. High above ranks of golden ponies forced their way across the abyss in which he now lay, whilst beyond that the sky was a chaotic mass of pegasus formations fighting for dominance. He realised that he must be on his back and rolled onto his stomach, taking several seconds to blink the blurring from his vision before rising. The surface on which he found himself was a rough stone ledge, jutting out from a cave opening, set in the chasm wall on the palace side. Although his spine felt as if it had been trampled over like the siege bridges above, he was very lucky not to have fallen further. ‘Buck it’ he muttered as, faced with either sheer cliffs or a bottomless pit, he entered the darkness of the cavern.

At first he stumbled over every bump and hole in the uneven floor, his eyes taking their time to re-acclimatise to the inner gloom, but soon the black haze receded, leaving him in the winding length of a tunnel. The silver unicorn huddled deeper into his clothing, as wind blew in at his back, ruffling any patch of exposed fur the wrong way. ‘Nowhere to go but forward’ he grimaced to himself as he continued, reaching a forked junction in the passage. With no better way of determining his direction he chose the right path. Further tunnels lead into more tunnels, divided ever more by junctions and crossroads. The labyrinth of passages, which he assumed must weave their way throughout the entire outcrop on which the ancient palace stood, seemed increasingly like an intricate web, with himself being the fly caught in its meandering strands. In his now considerably confused state he barely noticed the change in the walls’ stonework, transforming from cracked roughness to blocks of finely carved masonry. His mind finally twigged as he passed the first burning torch, illuminating an arched entrance to a large space beyond. The room he now entered was a considerable vaulted space, possibly a meeting area, with a trio of other exits leading from it. In spite of its grandeur, a layer of dirt coating the floor and the lack of furniture made it clear that it had not been occupied for quite a while. ‘Well where the hay do I go now?’ he grumbled, looking from archway to archway in annoyance. He was obviously in the palace now, but at the same time he was still very much underground, so therefore what he needed to do was head upward… somehow…

The rattle of hoofsteps broke him from his thoughts, his ears rousing themselves and scanning for its source. The sound was coming from one of the exit tunnels and it was getting closer. His mind, acutely aware of his isolation, flashed images of a variety of unpleasant creatures which might dwell beneath the nocturnal princess’ castle. He darted for the side of the portal, tucking himself into its corner, hearing the steps coming closer and closer until they were upon him. He struck out with his forehoof and was rewarded by a heavy clatter as something fell headlong into the room, landing in a heap. The creature wore the battledress of a Lunar Republican Guard. Layers of interlocking plates, adorned with a tunic of swirling blue waves, stretched down from its finned helmet and across its back, fully enmeshing it in an articulated exoskeleton. Its eyes were crimson with narrowed feline slits, perfectly adapted for nocturnal site, matching the crystal orb symbol inlaid into its breastplate. None of this was surprising, he had met Luna’s finest before. What gave him pause was its lack of wings, or rather those membranous things which had inspired the term ‘bat-ponies’, and the fact that those visible parts of its body were striped like that of a zebra, black banding standing out against its grey coat. He immediately regretted his inquisitive pause, having given the thing time to recover and rise back to its hooves. ‘Surrender!’ he barked, lowering his head and calling energy into his horn as he spoke.

‘Make me’ the creature snarled, conspicuously revealing the rows of jagged teeth which filled its maw.

Cavalier released a bolt of lightning, striking the ground just before his adversary and theatrically shattering a number of rocks. ‘Last Warning.’

The creature, unflinching, just grinned wider, its pupils thinning to become dark slashes bisecting its bloody irises. A stillness settled over the cave, neither side making any move to cross the few steps separating them. Suddenly the striped thing twitched. Cavalier instantly reacted and fired. His shot missed, the unicorn barely having enough time to realise that the movement had been a feint before a serration covered hoof impacted with his face, sending him into the wall. His body stung as it crashed against the stone surface, in spite of his metal shell, as he attempted to spit out the cloying taste of iron pooling on his palate. The beast rounded on him again, this time however he was ready and lifted both his hind hooves in a kick as it leapt forward. Each blow created an echoing clang as they hit its armoured barrel, forcing the thing to stagger backward. Both sides quickly found their hooves and charged. Roaring in unison they collided, each rearing up to meet the other as they descended into the honourless brutality of their melee. Bladed shoes scraped armour, showering sparks, or else found their mark, slipping between plates and biting the flesh beneath. They were quickly fighting in a red mist, consuming their thoughts and jetting from each subsequent puncture. The creature was vicious, lashing out wildly and even attempting to use its jaws, but at the same time uncontrolled, not bothering to defend itself from oncoming strikes. Relying on his considerable experience, Cavalier matched his opponent blow for blow, blocking some of the oncoming attacks and gradually wearing it down. This said however it would be wrong to call the encounter anything more than a brawl, only to be decided by who could sustain more injuries. Finally he was able to anticipate the creature’s coming movement, parrying its last attack and then as it drove its snout forward, aiming to maul his throat, he struck upwards into its muzzle, skilfully avoiding its neck guard. The beast collapsed, having its helmet sent skittering across the gravel in the process, in turn releasing the tangle of grey and black stripes which made up its mane, as it fell onto its side and coughed blood into the kicked up dust.

Victorious, Cavalier stood over the crumpled form, but all sense of triumph dissipated as he gazed on the defeated shape, steadily oozing drips of crimson onto the dirt floor. It curled up in on itself, looking like a small cowering animal, abject in its defeat and entirely at his mercy. At the same time without its helmet it was transformed, now clearly being a pony rather than the monster it had been moments before.

‘As the bearers of her light we are granted the power and heavy responsibility to exterminate all threats, by any means “necessary”.’ An authoritative mare’s voice entered his thoughts, demanding action.

He raised his forehoof, but the appendage would not follow through with deed, leaving him frozen. In his mind’s eye he could see strands of ginger mane hanging between his shoes’ blades as they dripped with scarlet ichor. ‘I can’t do it’ he found himself thinking. Again stillness as each party simply looked into one another. He lowered his hoof, instead threateningly surrounding his horn in an aura of energy. ‘Surrender; there has been far too much killing.’

The grey pony, which he assumed was male from its previous speech, remained quiet, seemingly considering his enemy’s words, whilst greedily gulping down air. ‘You’re… you’re right’ the striped stallion conceded, unsteadily forming speech in his bloodied jaw.

Cavalier felt relief abruptly rush through him, as the pony began to unfasten the blades from its forhooves. His body relaxed a little and became sorely aware of the great many cuts and bruises which now covered it. The pains were however tempered by far deeper feelings, becoming only slight and insubstantial. He had spared a life. The spiked weapons he wore, although still marred, now seemed somehow cleaner. If the thing, or rather stallion of some kind, he had just fought would pause before the brink, then maybe others would? Maybe there was hope and today really would be the end of this senseless conflict. These thoughts were broken by a simple movement from below him. Whilst his guard had been lowered by encouraged contemplations, the grey pony lashed out with one of its hind hooves, slashing across the unarmoured backs of his lower hind legs. Agony engulfed him as he felt pointed serrations tear through his flesh and muscles, causing him to sprawl forward. At once his enemy was upon him, kneeling on the back of his neck to hold him still with one foreleg, whilst out of the corner of his eye he saw its other descend. A sharp crack, like the sound of splintering hardwood, filled the air and his vision went white, as a burning from the centre of his forehead drowned out all other sensations. He found himself gasping for air with a sore throat, however if he had screamed he had not heard it. Still writhing in the flames, his vision returned and he found the traitor had again stood up and was reattaching his weapons.

‘As I was saying: you’re right, there has been far too much killing, but neither your death nor mine will change any of that.’

The voice coming from between its owner’s jagged teeth was chilling, but to Cavalier’s surprise there was an underlying sadness in what it said. Blinking through pained tears, his eyes moved from the creature to himself and a strangled cry escaped his mouth as he found the source of his pains. There, lying just in front of his muzzle was his horn, the ragged point of severance revealing the bone which had secured it to his skull.

‘You may well abhor me for what I am or what I have done to you. In either case you are justified. Maybe even your loathing goes far deeper and you believe in the cause for which you fight, but I doubt it from your most recent actions.’

Cavalier tried futilely to move, raising his body with his forehooves, but the rest of him would not follow suit. His hind legs lay limp behind him, totally immobile. More waves of pain wracked his frame and he collapsed once more. None of this was fair and at the same time utterly pointless. Now helmeted, his killer approached, cold red predatory eyes tinged a darker remorseful shade.

‘Please know that, although I have learned to hate the sun that you wear on your tunic and a great many of your kin who march under that banner, I hold no animosity towards you.’

The final impact came down unpityingly on the silver unicorn’s head. Again whiteness filled his vision, before fading to a hopeless all-consuming black.

The door splintered inwards, shattering into innumerable shards which spilled into the corridor beyond, violently showering the defenders who had been vainly holding it in place. Most were felled by the force, left with minds spinning from the shockwave and spluttering on the floor. Lances plunged through the smoke skewering those who remained unsteadily standing, causing them to slump limply onto the vicious spear points. The polearms slipped from impaled bodies, retracting to be replaced by striding golden figures. Restraining magic sprang from horns to surround survivors, whilst bladed shoes roughly checked corpses, kicking away any vestiges of remaining life, meanwhile a copious mass of plumage and sapphires filled the doorway. A line of prisoners was rapidly formed along one wall, mirrored by a firing line of unicorns, awaiting the commander’s perusal. The white mare simply walked between the two rows, stepping carefully around the red pools which littered the ground. ‘Officers to be detained for interrogation, execute the rest’ Rarity sighed, annoyed that she had to spell out the obvious order. Without turning round she continued forward, reaching a flight of stairs and descending, whilst behind a series of flashes were followed by wet slumping sounds.

‘This place is disgusting’ she thought, noting the spiders’ webs which filled ever corner of the downward passage. Although she appreciated the grand architecture of the palace, it was all decidedly past its prime and uncared for, allowed to fall into disrepair, as opposed to becoming a gorgeous example of antiquity. ‘Such a shame’ she considered, contemplating both the loss of grandeur and the present infestation which had to be cleared. Rarity and her retinue following close behind exited the stairway, entering into a rough circular chamber filled with makeshift bedding and edged by a series of further tunnel entrances. She moved and sat herself on the edge of one of the bunks, tiredly removing her helmet. ‘Fan out and search everywhere’ came her voice lazily, as she waved a hoof generally in the vague direction of the room’s exits. A simple ‘yes ma’am’ was echoed by those present as they filed out, leaving their commander to her lounging. Now alone in her thoughts she once more sighed, absent-mindedly straightening her headgear’s excess of feathers. Again she found herself in a dank hole, pursuing the enemies of Equestria in their retreat to their concealing darkness, so as to flush them out into the light. Her gaze went to her bejewelled armour. The perks and the power were still appreciated, but the activities had become stale. Absent was the rush of excitement which she had enjoyed.

*Cough*

The tiny sound appeared loud in the empty space, immediately drawing the mare from her thoughts. It had come from under the bed directly across from the one she was sat on and her gaze went to the place, discovering a pair of small yellow eyes staring out at her from the face of a grey unicorn filly. The foal shivered, her short blonde mane falling out of place, in a mix of cold apprehension. Rarity felt the twinge of recognition, followed by the realisation of possibility, a malevolent grin filling her inner self as she rose. ‘Dinky isn’t it? Do you remember me? I’m Sweetie Belle’s sister’ she said as she prowled forward towards her prey, masking her visage in a honeyed smile. ‘You look rather cold dear. Why don’t you come out and we’ll find your mother.’

‘Lonely little Luna.’

Seated alone on her cracked throne, left to decay more than a millennia before and now cast once more into darkness by her own actions, the Princess of the Moon nursed her temples as she awaited the inevitable. Eyes screwed tightly shut, running creases across her tension-filled face, she tried to turn away the predator that was stalking her.

‘Did you seriously believe that you were rid of me? I’m part of you.’

‘No you’re not and I don’t need you anymore. Begone!’

‘Is that so? Everypony abandons you, just like you deserted them to chase your own power-hungry desire. I’m still here though, watching over you.’

‘This had nothing to do with ambition, that’s your domain not mine.’

‘Really, so everything you’ve done has been to build your little “republic” and has had nothing at all to do those secret jealousies you still carry with you.’

‘Of course not! I am content.’ However, even as she thought the words, doubt crept in on her. Why had she thrown so much away and harmed so many in the process? Had any of it been worth it? What had she achieved and should she have succeeded what would have come to pass?

‘Forgive me if I doubt your sincerity. Not that it really matters though. In a few moments Celestia’s going to be breaking down those doors and then the best you can hope for is exile.’

A crater-marked expanse of grey dust surrounded her in all directions, nothing but silence pervading the infinity of surrounding space. Each moment was an eternity on that bleak surface, powerlessly made to look down on the land she was expelled from, whilst this time a second purple torment would slowly orbit her prison.2 The cage itself was not torture, but rather being forced to see all that she had lost through its bars.

‘That is, unless you let me help you.’

The floor was cold, making Dinky feel cold as she sat waiting for Mommy. Waiting was not fun. The ground around her was now a mess of drawings, sketched into the dirt with her forehoof. Beneath a sky of noughts and crosses lay a dense forest, ringed by mountains. In the centre she and Mommy sat on a muffin strewn picnic blanket, taking it in turns to blow clouds of bubbles from a small wand. She missed the picnics they used to take. It felt like forever since they had been able to spend time together, with Mommy being away so much and always being really tired when she got back. Maybe things would change soon and then she and Mommy could go home: she could help make muffins, they would both go out for picnics and everything would be better again.3

Dinky was now very bored. ‘Patience is a virtue’ was Mommy’s familiar phrase when she wanted a new toy and they did not have enough bits or when she was struggling to cast her first spell and only managed a few sparks. Being patient was still dull though. It was not just the waiting that was making her bored but the cave itself. She was sick of being down here, sick of the nasty food and sick of the scratchy beds. There were only a few other foals down here as well so she was often lonely, although they were all really nice. Sometimes she and the others would play hide and seek, although this often annoyed some of the adults so they had not done that in a while. Mommy said that it was safer for them to be down here, but she was still fed up with it all.

Mommy had had to go out quite a while ago, wearing her new purple flight suit and saddlebags, so Dinky assumed she was making deliveries like she had done back home. She frowned to herself as she thought about hugging her goodbye, hoping that when Mommy came back she would not be angry that she had not done as she was told. Everypony had been very busy gathering their things, then whilst Mommy and the other pegasus had gone out, she was supposed to have gone with the others and some of Luna’s special night-ponies through the caves. The Lunar Guard had been kind of frightening at first, with their strange wings, pointed teeth and weird eyes, but some of them were Mommy’s friends and they were all friendly. VC in particular; he had brought her and Mommy some cupcakes a few days ago. In spite of not being muffins they had been really good. She also liked the fact that he scared some of the other foals, his stripes and red eyes making him look kind of different from the other guards, so she got to look brave when she talked to him, although she wished Mommy would tell her his name.

A door slammed above, followed by the soft murmur of voices. Maybe Mommy was back and she could show her the picture. Dinky stood up and took a couple of steps towards the stairway, but stopped with a jump as an explosion shook the room and dust rushed in through the archway she had been making for. She found herself under one of the beds, not sure of how her body had moved her there, but also not wanting to move from the shadowy safety. More voices and then the rapid crack of energy, as ranks of golden ponies entered the room. A beautiful white unicorn seated herself, gesturing to the rest, who obediently filed out. Dinky held her breath, not wanting to make a sound, but even as she did so she felt a tickle at the back of her throat. Wincing with the effort to hold back the advancing noise, she watched the unicorn mare, wishing she would leave. Then, despite herself, Dinky coughed. A pair of deep blue eyes bore down on her and she found herself shivering as they chilled her to the core.

‘Dinky isn’t it? Do you remember me? I’m Sweetie Belle’s sister.’

Dinky remembered Sweetie from school, but she had never met her sister.

‘You look rather cold dear. Why don’t you come out and we’ll find your mother.’

The unicorn smiled and began stepping forward as she spoke. Dinky did not want to move, remaining motionless.

‘Come now dear.’

The fur on Dinky’s forelegs stood on end as they were enveloped in the unicorn’s magic and she felt herself being tugged forwards. She dug her hind-hooves in, attempting to resist.

‘Don’t be silly dear.’

Dinky cried out as she felt the glowing restraints tighten painfully, whilst the unicorn’s grin stretched further across her face. Panicking she struggled again and again felt the sore stinging where the magic held her. Despite her efforts her body was hauled out from under the bed. Those blue unblinking irises just kept staring into her, glinting somehow with an unpleasant light. Fear gripped her. She wanted her Mommy.

A mass of grey and black stripes hurtled into the side of the unicorn, forcibly extinguishing her magic. Dinky found herself released from the magical grasp, as the recognisable spikey shape of VC threw itself and its adversary across the room, toppling pieces of furniture in all directions in the process. She remained frozen in place on her stomach, whilst the two armoured ponies clashed amongst the pieces of increasingly smashed beds, dipping in and out of view like puppets in a theatre. Angered shouts, the sharp scrapes of blows piercing plate and the clashing of blades filled the air, as crimson splatters peeled away from the melee, landing like paint on the stonework. A face appeared briefly, as its owner fell onto its back, all glazed bloody eyes and jagged teeth dripping red, before in lunged forward. Cries of pain, a bright flash and the unicorn appeared, standing beside Dinky, with dripping punctures running down her barrel and a ragged bite mark marring the ivory purity of her neck. VC reared to his hooves, his own wounds standing out against his steely silver shell.

‘Dinky run.’

Three bolts of lightning darted from the unicorn, hitting the striped earth pony as he muttered his last two words. The first went through his kneecap, causing it to invert as the joint burst apart. The second impacted less spectacularly with his chest, his armour flexing inwards under its searing heat, whilst the gaping hole formed in the flesh beneath vomited an ichorous puddle onto the floor. The final shot struck the centre of his neck, forcing a blank stare into his eyes as it passed straight through and he keeled over.

‘Now, where was I’ the unicorn said, leering down at Dinky and wiping away the crimson ribbons running from her lacerated cheeks.

She arched her spine stretching out the many kinks which had formed in her vertebrae, before flexing each leg one after the other and then twisting her neck with an audible crack. It was as if she was rising from a deep sleep, with each part of her body needing to be awoken in turn. Muscles were tensed and un-tensed, feeling the satisfaction of movement, whilst anticipating activity to come. The light electric ripple of endorphins reached her back, causing her wings to shoot outward, quickly extending to their full length. The air in the hall was relatively still, but she sensed those currents there were, letting them satisfyingly run between her inky feathers. Each and every small sensation, from the cold rock beneath her hooves to the tickle of dust as it landed on her jet black fur, was an immense delight. Even her ears revelled in being uncovered, darting rapidly about to pounce on every sound they could find.

‘This isn’t right.’

A broad grin broke across her, gleaming out from the darkness of her face. She wrestled control over her tongue, before sending the chaotic organ gliding across her jaws, feeling the sharpness of each pointed fang in turn. All that remained was to test her magic. Turning, she faced the broken throne she had been seated on, letting a cyan glow pour from her blackened horn. The royal furniture gradually floated upward, spinning as if it were being held aloft on a single thread, and then was sent careening into the centre of the room. Splinters of carved stone flew outward in all directions as it impacted; meanwhile the jagged smile once again glowed, brightly illuminating her face.

‘Why must I always fall for your honeyed words.’

She turned her attention to the armour rack standing in an adjacent alcove, standing adorned with the shined silver plates of their battledress. The breastplate flew into place first, followed by an interlocking piece of carapace which ran from the top of her neck, to run the length of her back and down her sides in adamantine bands. Next came greaves and shoes, entirely encasing each of her legs. She admired the forest of spikes now protruding from her hooves, before finally raising and lowering the silver helm into place, carefully sliding it over her still glowing horn.

‘Please demon, don’t make us do something I regret.’

‘I said I’d keep us from banishment and that’s exactly what I intend to do’ she replied bluntly, enjoying the fear the conspicuously vague answer elicited from the one she addressed.

All at once each and every one of the room’s doors, from the ornate oaken panels of the main entrance to those accessing the myriad of side chambers, exploded, filling the space with a brightness to rival any solar flare. She snarled angrily at her unseen enemy, eyes screwed shut and wincing defiance at being forced into her unnatural element. Sensing the returning gloom her eyelids raised, gifting a view of her old adversary. In every smouldering doorframe stood lines of shining soldiers, creating a sharp fence of spears, with their solar princess herself, clad for war and with multi-coloured mane blowing wildly from the residual blast, towering above the assembled force at its centre. Both she and Celestia dwarfed everypony else, but that was where the similarities ended. The Princess of the Sun was a focus for adoration, whereas she created only abject terror. She could see it clearly written in the set stoical expressions circling the room, all their eyes darting to Celestia for strength, then nervously to her and then anxiously back to their princess. As she could not command their love she would revel in playing their villain, delightedly bathing in their fear and gnashing her fangs.4 Light and shadow will not co-exist. The appearance of one is the death knell of the other.

‘Stand down sister,’ Celestia’s voice broke authoritatively into her thoughts, ‘this ends now.’

‘I am not your sister!’ she roared in reply, summoning thunder to crack behind her bellowing voice.

‘So this is all your rebellion amounts to then?’ Celestia sighed sadly. ‘Again you succumb to selfish ambition, only this time using lies to drag others into your nightmare.’

‘No Tia, I’m so sorry.’

‘If only’ she smirked darkly. ‘Had I been given control long ago we would have fared far better. My weak reflection lacks the stomach for conquest, being so caring as to be sickening.’ She spat, adding emphasis to her speech.

Celestia’s words now became pleas: ‘please sister, if you can hear me, come back. Please come back.’

Cackling, she drowned out the princess’ begging. ‘Adorable, simply adorable. The loyal sister to the end.’

‘Let her go before I force you out.’

‘Oh I doubt it without the elements and your tin soldiers are hardly an adequate stand in.’ She opened fire in a volley of lightning, striking out at each of the lance-wielding ponies present. A split second before they hit, each bolt impacted against a glowing wall sent up by Celestia. Again she allowed herself to laugh, enjoying how they flinched in dread at her assault.

‘Commander, pull your forces back,’ Celestia conceded, ‘they can do no more good here.’

Whilst the Solar Guard departed in wordless obedience, she indulged in further waves of satisfaction. Truth be told, the soldiers may have become a slight hindrance and their withdrawal would only make this easier. The two demigods stared into one another, neither twitching nor blinking as each envisaged actions to come. They began to move in opposition, together walking a slow circle of the room. Eyes glided over the armoured forms of their opponents, searching their carapace and bodies beneath it for all their strengths and any weakness. The pair’s slow purposeful breathing carried loudly between them, as they both came back to their starting position and stopped.

She fired first, conjuring a hail of icy shards and casting them to extinguish her shining enemy. Celestia responded in kind, easily avoiding the deadly shower, whilst summoning forth glowing spheres of magma. The ground around her burnt red with scorch marks, but the dark creature like her competitor was able to dodge such simple missiles. Together they now formed a maelstrom of blurred movement, each dancing between downpours of charged sparks. They fought through veils of stirred up dust, rising like fog from the floor, meanwhile their powers resonated like the shouts of black and angry clouds. Their rainfall now became true lightning, veiny meandering lines of energy striking past one another through the storm. None hit their mark, more often striking the room’s walls and shattering them outward. A fierce wind blew up into the high hall from the canyons surrounding its plateau, clearing the billowing haze of dirt. She and Celestia stood once more where they had begun, manes flapping wildly and panting in the eye of their tempest.

‘Give up!’

‘Never!’

‘Stop!’

Opposing horns pulsed with building power, as each poured their all into a final blast. Beams erupted forward, crashing together and ballooning into a ball of energy. Amber and cyan struggled for dominance along the crackling streams, forcing the orb in one direction and then in reverse. She bound her dark will to her magic, face twisting into a writhing grimace, pushing back the surging tide to force it against her foe. Then the dam finally burst, sending waves to crash into the Solar Princess. At first the world was gone, consumed by the burning whiteness of the explosion, but as it returned the Princess of the Sun lay sprawled, whilst the nightmare stood triumphant on a backdrop of a stormy Everfree, the entire wall behind her having been blown out by the shockwave. ‘Goodbye Celestia’ she snarled, set to deliver the final blow.

There was a small purple flash beside her, to which she could not help but turn. To her delight, she now faced the violet form of her second nemesis. She would destroy both the princess and her ‘faithful student’ in one fell swoop. A fearful concern played across the unicorn’s face. ‘How delicious…’ her cruel thoughts began, before being snuffed out by a gut-wrenching pain. ‘What? No. I hate Twilight and…’ her mind tried again in vain, ‘and… and I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.’ Her body contorted, agony shredding every nerve ending, as she screamed all the air from her lungs.

Luna’s body felt heavy. Straps and buckles bit her joints, pulled downward by the weighty plates they supported. The feeling was made doubly worse by the pressure of tiredness, as if all her energy had been forcibly stolen from her. Her eyes opened from the blackness of night into a vision of downcast Twilight. The unicorn’s face was a mess of worry, winding furrows across her brow, with deep violet irises agape in tender fright. To merely look on such a visage pained her deeply and the knife was twisted in the thought that she herself was the cause. Her weariness became secondary and she made herself into a warm smile, thinking on and wanting only to excise the troubles from her partner. She succeeded. The brightness returned and they rested in their eternal moment. But it was only a moment. Twilight suddenly glanced to her side and then threw herself into Luna, knocking the taller alicorn from her hoofing to the floor. She could only stare as the perfect unicorn’s magic ignited, throwing up a shielded barrier, which was in turn shattered by a ray of pure amber light. The amber glow continued its journey, punching into Twilight’s chest and hurling her backwards, whilst red droplets peppered Luna’s face.

She awoke roaring her loathing against all creation through a predator’s fangs. Nothing else could dwell within; only bloody hatred painting red the stars, now aglow with the light of funeral pyres. Wrath drew out the scythes of her wings, forcing her into flight. Vengeance sent her forward, straight and true, bladed hooves outstretched towards the subject of her abhorrence. Loss numbed every shot as it passed through her. But blind rage was never enough and her wounds soon caught up with her, sapping both strength and momentum, even as she willed herself onward. Her body sagged, her wings failed and then she was again soaring, although this time beside Twilight, as they were both thrown through a wall by a final explosion of light.

The pegasus charged through the never-ending network of tunnels, blonde mane and tail billowing around her, as if ignited by the lightning bolts adorning her purple flight suit, along with the faces of smiling winged skulls. Her goggles lay lost somewhere far behind, having hampered her already hindered vision and been abandoned, for they mattered little right now.

‘She was with us, but she disappeared a while ago and VC went to find her.’

‘Oh muffin, where are you?’ Ditzy thought as she galloped onward, one yellow eye nailed shut to give its partner a better chance of focus in the rapidly moving world around her. Her saddlebags flapped emptily beside her as she made her way through the confusion of passageways, scanning every nook, cranny and crevice for any sign of her grey filly. She was granted nought but the continued horror of nothingness in return. Fatigue ran its claws across her tired body, burning through all its reserves to maintain her momentum. The second skin of her suit clung disgustingly close to her frame, soaked in rapidly chilling sweat, whilst every muscle screamed for respite. But none of that mattered. She would not stop, nor would she rest.

A whimper, faintly carried on the cavern’s still air but just audible, entered her ear. Ditzy may not have been very good at many things, her lack of aptitude in flight and speech being those most commented upon, but where her body had failed her in some areas it excelled in others, including her sense of hearing. Her ears instantly homed in on the noise, ordering her body to close the distance between her and it as quickly as possible. The spaces became familiar, giving her her bearings beneath the castle, as the source of the sound was drawn closer and closer. A recognisable archway to one of the barracks sat before her. She slowed to a crawl, creeping in the shadows towards the illuminated entrance.

‘Now the best possible thing you could do for yourself dear is tell me where your mother is.’

Ditzy recognised the voice, filling her with a thick sense of dread at what lay within. For a moment her normally unsynchronised irises came together in united function, beholding the inner scene in the sharp clarity of purpose. A white pony stood with its back to her, wearing the garb of the Solar Guard, with violet hair falling from its unarmoured head and down its back. In the air before this soldier floated Dinky with her four hooves circled by light blue magic, visibly wincing and crying from the painful restraints. The pair were centred within a sea of dilapidation, made up of broken and upturned furniture. Every part of the devoted mother bade for blood, shouting furiously for action and retribution, but the enemy was obviously a unicorn, so with extreme effort she held herself fast.

‘You know dear, by not speaking you make yourself as guilty as the rest of them’ came further words in a refined tone, whilst a pointed section of fractured board was flown ominously up from the debris field towards the helpless foal.

She had to act now. There had to be something she could use. Out of the corner of her vision, in the blurring periphery, was something gold and blue. Her left eye swung round to find a discarded helmet, standing out amongst the wreckage. Ditzy moved calmly forward on the tips of her hooves. With no real cover in the room she could only hope to move silently. ‘It’ll be okay muffin, just don’t react’ she thought, willing her filly, who she knew was facing her, not to reveal her presence. She reached the helm, gripping its flaring neck guard in her mouth, before turning back towards her adversary.

‘Why don’t you be a good little filly and tell me what I want to know.’ As the unicorn continued to speak clusters of splinters and barbs broke away from the piece of wood, moving to fly in increments towards the flesh of the similarly hovering prisoner. ‘Otherwise…’

Ditzy crossed the last remaining steps which separated her from her target. She looked into her foal’s tear-streaked face, itself with eyes closed in fear. ‘It’ll be okay muffin.’ She raised the armoured headgear and brought it crashing down on the unicorn’s skull. There was a crunch, accompanied by a shout, then the white pony toppled over; rolling onto its back, and then Ditzy fell upon it. The metal of the improvised bludgeon scraped against the vice of her teeth as she smashed it again and again into her enemy’s face, each time with a resounding wet crunch. A red lake began to form, sprayed outward with each heavy impact and staining the helmet’s increasingly bedraggled feathers, but she continued until the last gurgling sound and flailing of hooves ceased from below her.

Dumping the mangled implement without a second regard she sprang to her filly, immediately enveloping her in a hug and holding her close to her heart. ‘I’m so sorry muffin, are you okay?’ she asked as she hurriedly checked every inch of the small grey unicorn for injury.

At first all Dinky could manage was ‘mommy’, repeating the word over and over as she reciprocated the tight embrace. The foal then pulled away from her mother and pointed into the wreck of the room. ‘Mommy… VC?’

One of Ditzy’s eyes followed her filly’s forehoof to the crumpled form of a familiar earth pony, almost indistinguishable amongst the destruction. She swung Dinky onto her back, feeling the foal hang on and nuzzle into the back of her neck, as she walked the few steps towards her friend’s broken body. Ignoring the pool of blood surrounding him, she knelt down and gently pulled off his helmet. A pair of crimson eyes rolled into focus, meeting her own.

‘Hey Ditz,’ he rasped, working against the regular gushing pulsing from his neck, ‘is Dinky safe?’

‘Yes, she’s fine.’

‘Good’ he said, giving a small relieved nod. With some effort he lifted a hoof. Her own forehoof stretched out to meet it, catching and bumping with it in familiar camaraderie. ‘Now I guess I should say some meaningful last words or something,’ he laughed, spluttering as his tongue tried not to drown in the river of red running from his mouth, ‘or else reveal some great secret I have carried my entire life. Pity I’m not that interesting.’ His face pulled itself into a jovial grin, but she could clearly see the terror creeping at the edges of his blood-soaked eyes. ‘Well here goes. The past is immaterial. Where we come from doesn’t matter, rather all that counts is what we are, what we can be and what we have yet to achieve. Yeah it’s a tad cliché I know, but it’s the best I’ve got at such short notice. See you round Ditz…’ his words trailed off, as his irises rolled downward and his hoof slipped from hers.

‘Mommy?’

‘It’s okay muffin’ Ditzy replied, reassuringly arching her wings to create two walls of soft feathers around her filly, whilst at the same time hiding the act of pre-emptively wiping away tears before they formed. For now she would remain strong. ‘See you round VC’ she whispered, spinning on the spot and making for the tunnel from which she came, breaking back into a gallop as she went.

Twilight felt the air rushing past her, forcing her ears flat, as it moved from her head to her outstretched hind hooves. She was upside down, the updraft of wind along with the crimson smears cutting stripes across her violet barrel confirming this. The hole in her chest gasped wide, having sliced through layers of fur, skin and musculature, blood rhythmically leaking from around its rough burnt edges, showing the depth to which she had been punctured. Strangely the dripping wound did not hurt, a small mercy, rather what she felt was an increasingly damp wetness as the red fluids ran upwards in rivulets, quickly losing their heat. A second similar feeling was centred on her withers and worked its way to spread across her back, revealing that the cavity bored its way fully through her being. Breathing was hard, as if some unseen grip was steadily constricting her insides, although again this was surprisingly painless. A soothing blackness was beginning to claw at the edges of her vision. Each deep breath out was followed by a shallow one in, deflating her as she continued her artificially slowed dissent.

Her gaze panned downward and connected with a pair of pale azure irises staring back across the whistling whirlwind between them. Luna’s mane whipped wildly in the wind, creating a waterfall around her shoulders, whilst the constellations which covered it, the princess’ proudest creations, slowly faded. The navy strands of hair lapped at the wings in whose embrace Twilight had frequently lost herself, now hanging limp and useless, with feathers being ripped out in tufts by the pitiless buffering of the air around. Flight: the living embodiment of freedom, that airy liberty, had been torn from the dead appendages and their owner.

A dark blue hoof, stripped of all armour and ornament, extended across the ether. A purple one extended to join it and their pads met in a final caress. Their eyes remained locked together as the world around them, the sky fleeing behind them and the ground charging up to devour them all clouded over, becoming indistinct. All that remained was the pair of them. ‘I love you’ each mouthed in perfect harmony with the other, as the deafening roar reached its crescendo. At least they were together.

‘Get out!’

The Palace Architect fled the Privy chamber, leaving a scattered storm of victorious window designs in his wake. Other attendants took their cue, hastily vacating the room, and the Princess of the Sun found herself alone, save for the occupants of the four shrouded coffins which kept her company. Each box lay on a squat dais, draped in black cloth and sapping all light from the world around them. Absent-mindedly she approached them, drawing back the first’s sheet. A mess of colours burst forth from a bright blue face, surrounded by a messy rainbow mane, facing skywards with eyelids lowered. A golden winged lightning bolt hung on a ribbon about the pegasus’ neck, seemingly out of place on one who had turned traitor, but marking proud service laid down for the Empire. She frowned. How she loathed that title, quickly chosen to symbolise unity and now marred beyond any possible cleanliness. Yet Equestria suited this new world even less. She drew back the second to reveal a pure snowy visage, ringed in carefully coiffed purple, but also covered in innumerable wounds which shone through a plastering of reconstruction, in total opposition to the one before. A glinting reflected from the marshal’s baton nestled beside the ivory unicorn, whispering of command, honours and tradition. Her frown deepened, her face being assaulted by thoughts of the many dark acts performed in her name. Loyalty and Generosity: both lying as if in blissful sleep, but their fur’s lack of lustre revealing the reality. If her agents were to be believed Kindness lay in a similar fate, just another one of the innocent fallen, whilst Honesty was lost in self-imposed exile and Laughter ran rampant as an ever more tainted version of her former self. The broken pieces of harmony fell scattered by the divisive hooves of her and her sister, and for this she would never forgive herself.

Celestia turned to the next in the wretched row and faltered. She knew well the violet form of her pupil which dwelt within, with her hair combed neatly into place and forehooves set at her sides in a cruel mockery of restful life. Tentatively she pulled aside the fabric and gazed in, shuddering as she traced the chest wound she had inflicted, still visible in spite of the mortician’s careful stitching. The Element of Magic did not, as some believed, symbolise its existence full stop and the powers of unicorns and alicorns alike would persist in the land in spite of its death, but rather stability in such energies presence. What would come to be in its passing, along with its kin, could only be guessed at. These were but fleeting thoughts however when compared to the crushing loss she felt, looking down on her victim. She had killed her student, her faithful protégé, but more than that she had murdered the closest thing she had had to a daughter. In the prolonged absences of Twilight’s true parents, she had more played the part of the doting mother than simple tutor. In her mind’s eye she could see the filly the young mare before her had once been, looking up in trusting awe, perhaps waiting to learn a new spell from her mentor.

Only the final coffin remained covered and it took all her strength she could muster to move each leaden hoofstep towards it. It would have been easier had it been the leering demon awaiting her beneath the sheet, but she knew it was not so. There was no beast entombed within, only a dead sky, trapped in alien stillness and devoid of all stars. Twice now she had failed her sister, the first time being blind to her feelings and this time deaf to her council. In each case her ignorance had placed them on a collision course. It was she, not Luna, who had spawned the creature of blackest bile and hatred, letting it loose to break and contort the purity of the younger alicorn. She was the older sister and should have been the night mare’s keeper. Celestia finally moved the shadowy covers, gazing on her own flesh and blood, butchered by her own hooves. Her eyes drifted back to Twilight. The student’s grand achievements had far exceeded the master’s. When the nightmare had returned from its millennia in banishment it had been the pupil’s power which had been her sister’s salvation and then the pupil’s love which had drawn the poison from her darkened heart. The feat had been repeated a second time before Celestia’s own eyes, as she herself gave in, firing that fatal shot. She looked at the two of them, bound in both affections and ends. What had they seen which she had not? Maybe had she been granted site, if they had explained the why of it in speech or even writing, ever Twilight’s preferred medium, things could have been different. But there had been nothing, or more likely she had beheld nothing. ‘Rest now sister’ she whispered, bending down and lightly kissing Luna’s forehead. ‘I hope you find the contentment in your dreams which was denied to you in life.’

Three raps split the silence, sending Celestia’s hoof to gently stroke her sister’s cheek. She found herself quietly shushing the empty body, as if the knocking could awake the dark alicorn from her much needed sleep, although inside she deeply wished that it were so.5 The shrouds levitated back into place and she quickly readied herself, rebuilding an air of composure, as the rapping continued. ‘Enter.’

Three officers came in, all removing their helmets and bowing their heads respectfully as they did so.

‘News?’

‘Yes your highness’ the first began. ‘I’m afraid our scouts have lost track of the retreating forces of the Lunar Guard, however a few of the enemy’s other forces have replied to your decree of amnesty and downed arms.’

Celestia nodded. She was already sure that Luna’s bodyguard would not surrender; their aeon old loyalties would not allow them to. The threat of rebellion amongst their ranks had been ever-present during her sister’s exile. Now with their much-loved mistress’ death a fresh conflict was a certainty, most likely for petty ideals of honour or vengeance, but if others amongst these night-time soldiers had been swayed maybe something might yet be salvaged. ‘And?’

‘Oh… um’ the second soldier struggled, at first caught off guard, ‘we’ve just received reports of further attacks in upper Manehattan and Fillydelphia.’

The princess sighed. How ugly this war had become. Violence was met with reprisal in kind, action begetting reaction, endless and cyclical. So many had been lost to it, both as victims and perpetrators.

As Celestia looked to the final stallion he commenced, needing no further prompting. ‘I was ordered to remind your highness that it is time for the sun to be lowered and the moon to be raised.’

The politely spoken words froze every inch of the Solar Princess’ being. For a thousand years she had raised her sister’s charge, willing away each day of that pain-laden duty, hoping never to do it again. Now she faced an eternity of it. Minutes passed in stilled silence and the soldiers quietly took their leave. She was alone once more, responsibilities pushing in from all sides and guilt trying desperately to maul its way out of her. Trapped in limbo she floated to tall windows, leading to a balcony. Below the lights of Canterlot were beginning to twinkle in anticipation of the night. Beyond the proud capital lay her realm, her responsibility, pushed to the very brink and still teetering over the abyss. She felt suddenly old, worn and empty. ‘But I must go on,’ she thought, ‘just as I always have, for the good of everypony. We will not fall. We will have unity.’ Her face dutifully set itself in the required mask: caring, imperial and strong. ‘I’m so sorry’ Celestia said aloud, addressing the room, the surrounding city and the entire empire as she stepped out, bearing the burden of her heavy crown with her.

Author's Note

References:
1) Henry V by William Shakespeare (Act 4, Scene 3, Line 62)
2) For All to See by Pearple Prose
3) Bubbles by anonymous
4) The Tragedy of King Richard III by William Shakespeare (Act 1, Scene 1, Lines 24-30)
5) Macbeth by William Shakespeare (Act 2, Scene 2, Line 75)