War of Harmony IV, a Novelization.

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The dusty and stagnant air of the Two Sisters’ castle was haunting and familiar to me. Cobwebs decorated the walls and corners of the room, and my ears rang from the silence inside… Vines and decaying pillars littered the confines of the room and were testaments to its age. What was also prevalent, however, were the several signs of battle that littered the hall. Arrow head marks and indentations along with shattered rubble and dried bloodstains painted the floors and walls in small bursts.

Clip clop clip clop
Was the sound our hooves made upon the smooth marble floor and echoed throughout the various rooms, the silence broken. My companions were silent for once, choosing to instead remain cautious. The castle was no doubt once a beautiful place, but it stood now as a shadow to what disharmony wrought upon Equestria. This could not be allowed to happen to Equestria if there was something I could still do. Forgive me for stating the obvious. It helps me to focus.

In the center of room, the main item of interest was the Statue of Harmony. Its six stone orbs were once again proudly on display, serving as placeholders for the actual elements themselves. What brought my eye to them was quite simple. There were pieces missing from each of them. Glancing towards Trixie, her solemn look and silence were not giving much to go on. Was this a part of Spike’s trials that he left for us? There were brief words exchanged, but they were merely stating what was already noticed.

“Who made this hole in the wall?” Pinkie asked with a curious look, peering through.

A small smile graced my features as I stated in response, “If I had to make a guess… Applejack.”

Pinkie naturally threw a questioning look my way in response and said, “What makes you say that?”

Answering it was rather easy, if not a bit boring. “If Twilight had done this, you would see magical residue around.” Then to go for the final blow, my observations left my mind,” And I don’t see any around here.”

However, our little duel of words was not quickly absolved as Pinkie asked, “What does magical residue look like?” This was a quiz. Pinkie has seen in the past what such residue looked like.

However, I answered truthfully in response, “High impact spells will leave what would look like burn marks.” Pinkie was pleased by my response, and nodded. She would later tell me, “I was so happy to hear something that wasn’t a fat lie or harsh truth out of your mouth.”

“The courtyard on the other side will lead us to the tower.” Pinkie commented as she stepped on through. The hole in question was caused when Applejack bucked a soldier straight through it, part of the wall crumbling on top of him.

To my surprise, there was not a courtyard on the other side of this wall. I never claimed to understand the Everfree’s environmental patterns and terrain very well. But, and hear me out, how is it that a pathway like the one in front of us came to exist? Sighing, Pinkie bounced a bit as she had my full attention, “Pinkie?”

She smiled, “Yes Rarity?”

She got a frown in response, “This doesn’t look like a courtyard.”

Being peppey as always, she exclaimed, “Ohh, did I say courtyard? I totally meant twisty foggy death trap waiting to happen… weren’t you listening?”

I frowned, Pinkie wasn’t usually a sarcastic pony, but she’s forgiven considering, “Guess I missed that part then.”

Letting that pass was the best thing to do, but the aforementioned death trap was rather harrowing indeed. The fog was thick, hard to see through, and it made me shiver, my lush and fashionable coat offering no protection. The path ahead of us was long and windy indeed, and we were marching to avoid falling off. A short walk later, the actual courtyard Pinkie was talking about revealed itself. Patches of grass and hard dirt was all it consisted of, and much of the courtyard itself was completely gone. A good comparison for the size would be a yard or two of rough grass and dirt, but that wasn’t the first thing to come to mind.

“Woah… do you see that black scoring?” Pinkie asked rhetorically.

Going off the previous conversation I concluded, “Some powerful magic was used here, but I’m not sure what…” What spell could leave a meter long spot of just black score marks?

However, my wonderment was quickly cut off when Trixie spoke up, “This looks like the magical residue of a very rushed teleportation spell.” We looked to her, silent, before she smiled and continued, “And since it was rushed… it pulled much of the surrounding area along with it.”

Her frowning face lowered, disgruntled eyes ignored, I added, “That would explain why nopony was here when I got here...And why this place is so deformed.”

However, Pinkie noticed my temporary slip up, “I didn’t know you were here during the battle.” Both eyes were on me now, Pinkie eying me up. Was she on to me?

Wasting no time, there was a calm response from me, “I wasn’t… I got here later that evening.”

Pinkie wasted no time in asking her next question. “So what happ-”

“Let’s continue.” Pinkie pouted at this interruption. Trixie gave me a thoughtful look as I examined the rest of the courtyard, finding a locked door. It didn’t budge like a door with a lock would, unfortunately. then I could have picked it, maybe. Going around it was not an option either, so it was time to opt for something else.

While pondering in thought, something immediately struck me as odd… Frowning, my hoof stepped onto the blue switch and a small click was earned for my efforts. An unlocking mechanism perhaps…? There were multi-colored boulders conveniently placed around the clearing. I stress the convenience of such, but it was nice to not be involved in a fetch quest for once. Pinkie and Trixie took five while watching me push the red, brown, and blue boulders to their switches respectively.

“Hey Rarity, where’ve you and the others been all this time anyway?” Pinkie asked as I pushed the boulders along without struggle. It was a question that would… well, it would take about as many chapters as this one’s taking, if not more.

Still, not wanting to leave her standing awkwardly, I used a cliche, “It’s a long story. What about you darling?”

Pinkie frowned and then receded into herself a bit. “I don’t really wanna talk about it either, then.” Trixie of course said nothing, although noticing Pinkie’s demeanor shifting, smiled and whispered something in her ear that brightened her up.

Paying no further mind to them though, the last boulder clicked and held its switch before the door shot open. Pinkie chimed up once more, “How strong are you, Rarity?” she asked quizzically.

There was a bit of confusion, “...What?”

Pinkie then took that as the invitation to smile, and hop around while chiming out, “You were like moving that boulder 10 feet at a time!” She paused. “How’d you do that?”

Another pause, then slowly, I opened my mouth to respond, “Remember when the six of us were taken to train?”

A spark of realization danced in her eyes and she shut them as she spoke, “Yup, and you started six months later than everypony else?”

I smiled “Exact-” frown and then chiding, “No, Pinkie. I was kept in six months longer.” A brief shiver and tingling ran along my spine and there was a visible shudder visible in me as this was said.

Then, Pinkie’s eyes shot open and she asked a bit puzzled, “You were kept for six months longer than everypony else?”

A beat, then a response, “Yes.”

Pinkie was not satisfied though, she went further in her line of questioning, “So what happened?”

A sigh, and then a frown came onto my face as I recalled, “Celestia sent me… Some place special.” I gave a charming wink her way and was hoping to leave it at that…

“Where?” But, Pinkie wasn’t dropping it yet.

I let that hope leak out by keeping my voice firm, “I’m just answering your question.”

Pinkie then continued anyway, letting her annoyance seep into her voice, “So, your ‘Special Training’ is why you’re so strong now?” Pinkie asked skeptically.

Since this wasn’t going anywhere fast I gave her a bit to chew on, continuing with, “That’s half of it, yes.” And before more could be discussed, I moved on, Pinkie and Trixie hurriedly following me through the door. In front of us lay the castle stairs, very long, drawn out, and just dreadfully outdated.

We started the simple trek up the stairs, the other two following behind. ‘I wonder how Opalesence is doing throughout this mess…’ The thought glanced my mind as we trekked upwards, little else occupying my mind. The stairs in question had the sun and moon symbols hoof-carved into the stone, not at all decayed or shattered surprisingly. About four flights of stairs later, we finally made it to the top where the throne room was. The room was surprisingly bare and clean, the three of us approaching the only object of interest in the room.

Phew...whoosh…

...A small breeze had been drifting through a small crack under the throne, I turned to Pinkie and asked, “Feel that, Pinkie?”

It was barely noticeable, so I didn’t blame her when she responded with, “Feel what, Rarity?” her head turning to face me, one scrunched up in confusion.

Trixie asked as well, “What is it?”

I smiled and then announced one of the most common themes of our time, “There is a hidden passage under the throne.”

Pinkie, however, then chimed up something that threw me off, “Sorry, I was too busy reading the inscription.” Confused, I asked for her to point it out, and it simply read, The Death of Three Will Light the Path. Overall, it wasn’t the most impressive cryptic inscription purposely left for me, however, it had a clear purpose. The loud screeching of stone back the way we came led me to believe something had changed.

With that in mind we began the descent back down the steps silentl-, “Rarity, I’ve been wondering…” Trixie broke the silence, however, with her question. She sounded hesitant.

I didn’t turn to look at her as I responded, “Yes, Trixie?”

She replied back a little slowly afterwards, no doubt feeling awkward, “I’m… I’m sorry, again, for everything. I know it probably doesn’t mean anything to you.”

It was a few moments before she got her reply, “It’s not that easy, and you’re right. It really doesn’t mean anything.” There was silence afterwards, we stepped back into the courtyard where something caught our eyes.

A little bit aways from the scorch markings and the farthest part of the courtyard stood a statue. Besides it not being there when we were here a few minutes ago, it was a stone Nightmare Moon statue on a pedestal. Trixie gave us a weird look as we paid it no mind, not at all changing in stance as we shifted to read its inscription.

“You two really don’t find this odd at al-”

“Nope.”

“Darling, Please.”

Trixie started to ask and probably rant, but Pinkie and me respectively silenced her concerns quickly. The statue read something similar to what we saw on the throne, the Death of Three Will Light the Way. Then, out of the mouth darted what looked like an orange spirit zoomed out of the creature’s mouth, heading back the way we came. I sighed, “More ghosts, great. Pinkie, we’re counting on you.”

The mare in question nodded, “Got it~!”

We headed back to the throne room, taking another few story climb up the staircase, “...You don’t forgive easy.” Trixie said softly.

Eyes rolling, she got in reply, “I don’t forgive period. Prove yourself or remove yourself.” My voice was harsh, perhaps even uncaring. Trixie was silent afterwards, pondering my words. I couldn’t have cared less what she was thinking. We arrived at the top shortly after, entering the throne room, our eyes widening in surprise at what we were seeing.

Red pupils stared at us and Pinkie exclaimed, “Nightmare Moon?!”

Quickly interjecting, I pointed out, “No, it can’t be, we freed Luna from you and…”

Trixie stepped forward, “You are the essence we were sent to destroy!”

Our group snapped to our combat ready stance, and the alicorn draped in sickly dark orange armor and black fur smiled, “Perhaps an essence now, but with your deaths, I will be complete!”

Before more could be said, she zoomed at us. Marshall Edge clashed against the Nightmare’s Dark, a sickly blade, small and intimidating with its runes and abominations carved into it. The shriek of blade tearing against blade loudly rang through the once silent building. She took to the skies as I dodged another well aimed strike, blasts of explosive magic peppering my former position. I looked up to see her horn glowing and pointed at me. I gritted my teeth. My defense gem shot in front of me and glowed green as my body was illuminated in green. The flames burned me, but I felt nothing. When the spell of the nightmare finished, she swerved and avoided the various shards of ice Trixie was shooting at her.

Pinkie helped me to my hooves and then… I deepened my breathing, I remembered every gritty detail of my training, the blood dripping down my hooves, the vital points on every part of a pony... My heart hardened and my eyes snapped open, the night-no, the essence was zooming on Trixie. Like a shadow, my hooves silent as I darted across, I timed the exact moment as the nightmare thought she would be safe…

“GAH! GET OFF OF US!” I dug Marshall’s edge right into her heart, but I was shocked to find that she was merely wounded. “YOU CANNOT KILL US GENEROSITY! BEGONE!” And with her words in the royal canterlot voice, I was blasted back and grunted as I hit the wall…

Trixie darted to my side as well as Pinkie, “That should’ve worked! Why didn’t it?”

Looking closely, there was a faint, aura, about her, “We are invincible, thy filthy tricks will never take us down!”

Her confidence, her stance, that aura… her aura! That’s it! I turned to Pinkie, “Pinkie! You need to-”

“Already on it! Trixie, cover me!” The mare nodded and her horn glowed as fog filled into the room, I could see very well, but the nightmare was blinded. Using the fog, I waited until Pinkie worked her own special brand of magic, “TAKE THIS NIGHTMARE! PURGE!!!” The fog lit up as Pinkie glowed brightly as if the elements were flowing through her, and then struck. The shimmering aura around the Nightmare vanished.

Then, there was a clash of metal as our blades met yet again. She grimaced, “You…! There is no hope! You cannot win-Nnn-” Her speech was quickly interrupted, however, by all our combined attacks.

Pinkie’s glowing red hoof, Trixie’s ice dagger, and finally, Marshall’s edge straight into her throat, I wasn’t one to gloat, but, “Your lies are as see through as your claims to be Nightmare Moon, you Essence of Lies.”

The physical body of the being vanished quickly as her life faded away, leaving only silence in its wake. She left no blood on my blade as I sheathed it. A wind blew through the room and caught my mane up. Hurriedly patting it to fix it, there was a startle in the group as one out of the three torches in the room blew aflame. Everburning, no kindling, no lighting, I stared and pondered lightly for the moment.

Of course, “Seems like there’s two more where that came from, you two up to the challenge?” I turned inquisitively asking of them,

Pinkie, of course, responded first, “No problem! With the three of us, we’ve got this in the saddlebag!” Her tongue stuck out as she wrapped a hoof around Trixie and smiled, posing as if she was taking a picture.

Trixie smiled and her eyes lit up, “I had my doubts about the three of us working together, but that fight has cured all my doubts.” She seemed confident, maybe even cocky, but there was rejoicing in not having to hear her complain.

My companions following me close behind, we headed back out the door and into the pitch black midnight, no moon in the sky to see.