The Mana Pools

Glace stood in front of the gates to Canterlot’s palace. The brown coated, green eyed pegasus stared at Celestia’s tower, wondering if he might catch a glimpse of her. After a few minutes, he gave up and focused his attention to the guards in front of the gate. The two guards had watched him for awhile, wondering if he was going to do something. “Ifre,” said Glace softly. Two sparks appear on each side of him; barely given any time to react, two large columns of fire rushed forward into the guards.

Their screams of pain quickly attracted attention, smoke already filled the air. The fire had rushed into the gate, melting the iron bars until there was a large hole in it. The flames evaporated into the air, only to show a dozen guards behind the gate, waiting for Glace’s next move.

“What shall I do this time? I've already done fire, so maybe... Natlsp.” As soon as Glace said the strange word, the vines and flowers around the guards whipped out and ensnared them. Glace watched the guards struggle in hope of breaking free of the plants, but it was no use. Soon the guards were being suffocated in a cocoon of the plants. Glace walked by the no longer moving cocoons.

It was the perfect day for the attack Glace had planned, there were few guards near the palace, and fewer inside. The effects of using the magic he had cast, was already starting to affect him. He found he was wanting to sleep, or to just sit down for awhile. But he had dealt with these urges before, so he had pressed onward towards the large doors into the palace itself.

As soon as he had touched the doors, he was tackled in the side. Glace kicked off the attacker and got on his hooves, his attacker was a Wonderbolt. Three others flew next to her, waiting for the one that had attacked Glace first to give an order. Glace however, didn't give them a chance. “Taelm,” he had burst out. The armor on the guards that he had burnt up, shifted and turned into several spikes. They had thrust forward and instantly killed the three that had come late. The Wonderbolt that was left had quickly dodged the spikes of metal.

“Oh good, I was hoping you didn't die. I was wanting to do something else with you. Siiovn.” The mare looked at him blankly, but soon she started to flap her wings irregularly. She fell to the ground and stumbles around, she screamed out for help several times. The last one making her curl into a ball and cry. Glace had taken her ability to see away, leaving her blind.

He walked to the palace doors, leaving the sobbing mare behind. He opened them and walked into the throne room where Luna, Celestia, and a couple guards had been waiting. “Why have you come here?!” shouted Luna with rage. Celestia appeared more calm than her little sister, as if knowing they would come out on top. “Well, I want to rule Equestria. And I have the power to do so, however, I can’t really do that when you’re here.”

Luna’s horn glows a soft transparent blue, charging her magic for a powerful spell. “Ighlt,” whispers Glace. The beams of sun that came through the windows suddenly shifted towards Luna, she tried looking away but there was a beam of light there as well. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to shut out the bright beams of sunlight. Celestia pulled Luna close to her and warped her wings around her, the sunlight no longer touching Luna.

“You spoiled my fun, Celestia.” The beams of light intensify and start to burn Celestia's coat. She winced in pain, her horn glowed a soft golden color and the blinds close. Glace growled, “Stop fighting back and die already you idiots! Cei!” he shouted out. The water from nearby fountains quickly turned into ice, the hunks of ice lifted out of the fountain and flew towards the princesses. However, they didn't reach their intended target.

The guards quickly rushed into the chunks of ice, sacrificing their lives in order to shatter the ice and save Luna and Celestia. Celestia watched in horror as her guards were broken and slammed back onto the ground. The ice did shatter, so the guards didn't die in vain. Celestia lets go of Luna slowly, her body shakes in anger. Luna looked around at the bodies of the guards, she had known a few of them, but she didn't know them very well.

Luna had risen up next to Celestia. Glace sighs, “I’m getting tired already. Can you two just lay down and die alre-” he was cut off as a beam of black slams into him. However, the beam didn’t come from Luna.

Celestia’s horn jolted with black electricity, a sign of dark magic recently being used. Luna took a step away from Celestia, in fear of the magic at use. Glace slowly pushed his black-squared glasses back up to the bridge of his nose. “Well this is a surprise. I didn't expect the princess of the sun to use dark magic. I rather expected Luna to do that. But, it doesn't matter. You’ll both be dead soon enough. Cei.” A wall of ice formed in front of Glace just in time to shield him from a blast of dark magic.

“I’m not” - she shot another blast of dark magic at Glace - “dying today!” The ice shattered and a small bit of the blast slams into Glace, he slides back and falls onto his flank. He shakes his head and starts to stand up, but another blast of the dark magic slammed into him.

Glace flew back and slammed into the wall, he slowly falls forward. “Poor Glace, tired already?” Came a female voice from beside him. Glace looked to see who it was. Vigne, his spiritual snake was on the ground, tilting her head at him. “I’m not tired,” he lied.

“I never said you were tired!” yelled Celestia.

“I wasn’t talking to you,” responded Glace.

“You know, you might not get a day like this again. Few guards, no distractions. And you’re just going to, lay here?” mocked Vigne. Glace slowly stood up and shook his head, trying to shake the tiredness away.

“Sorry, but I can’t do this right now. I’m too tired. I’ll just have to wait for awhile. Doawssh,” he melted into the shadows and vanished. Celestia shot where he had stood before, destroying the entire wall. Luna puts a hoof on Celestia’s shoulder.

“Sister. He’s gone.”

“No. No he can’t be! He’s still here! I’m going to-”

“Sister! Let it go! There are ponies wanting to know what is going on, if they saw you like this…” Luna went silent in thought of what would happen. Celestia took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. “Alright… I’ll go talk to the families. I won’t be long, get all the Lunar and Royal guards together. Have them search for this stallion.” Luna nodded, she turned and walked out of the throne room.