Mare of the Voidby Eclipse GuardianChaptersChapter 1: She and ItChapter 2: The ReturnChapter 3: Celestia's NightmareChapter 4: CadenceChapter 5: Silent DuskChapter 1: She and ItMare of the Void Chapter 1: She and It Twilight Sparkle wept. Everyone she had ever known, had given her the cold shoulder. Even her beloved mentor, Princess Celestia turned away from her student and went to comfort 'Cadence'. Twilight knew there was something wrong about her former foal sitter, but she couldn't find any evidence of her treachery. 'She put me down here, after all. With no way to return.' Twilight had found herself sealed beneath Canterlot's foundation, deep within the abandoned Crystal Mines. Ages ago, countless greedy Unicorns sought to horde the mines' vast amount of magical crystals to themselves. Many lost their lives down here, never to be seen or heard from again. Those who did survive became babbling madponies, due to the large amount of wild and untamed magic that dwelt within the walls. Twilight knew these stories well, her own uncle once stepped foot into the mines, searching for a rare gem that was said to grant wishes. A week later he was found missing, various guard patrols set about the infamous caverns, after another week of searching the corpse of Vane Sparkle was found. 'Uncle Vane...' Twilight shook her head in agony, shaking the terrible thoughts away and back to her current predicament. “I must find a way out of here, Cadence must be stopped.” Rising to her hooves once again, Twilight stepped into another vast cavern. She lit her horn with a weak light spell, and sent the small ball of focused magic directly in front of her. Several huge crystals laid about the cavern reflecting some of the magical light. The sad unicorn trudged forward slowly, with a slight limp in her right hind leg. 'Tch, it's definitely twisted.' She murmured mentally. Twilight looked left and right, attempting to peer into the darkness the best she could. All around her were various sizes and shapes of the crystals embedded into the walls and ground, which was free of any sort of mining tools and rail tracks. “Now that's strange, so far I've come across all sorts of abandoned mining equipment, but this room is bare of any sign of pony hooves.” Twilight mused warily as she made her way to the center of the vast space. Her spell fizzed out and the cave went black. “Darn it!” She tried her magic again, but nothing came up. “N-n-no! Not n-n-now!” Finally after hours of fruitless searching, Twilight smacked face-first into something and fell to her belly and sobbed. “W-why?! Why did nopony believe me?! I cared and treated the girls like they were my actual sisters.” She covered her face with her hooves as she felt another rack of sobs come down. “Princess, you too...fooled so easily by...Her.” Twilight's anger flared harshly, but it was smothered just as fast by her rising hopelessness. “I can no longer stop her from whatever she's planning, oh Cadence, why have you betrayed me like this? I thought we were best friends.” Cadence's recent actions shattered Twilight's deep affection of her, it was such a fickle thing. A little filly's crush. She was mad that her brother never bothered to tell her that he planned on marrying Twilight's foal sitter, but was still happy for both of them. Her love for Cadence would never sprout again unfortunately, as her world upended around her, and her once close friends and family deserted her. “Even my own parents, haven't said a word to me ever since we arrived...” Her crying stopped suddenly. “NO! Why!? WHY!? WHHYYYY!??” Twilight's voice filled the vast chamber, it bounced off of every surface for miles until a deep voice answered back. “You seem lost, equine.” Twilight gasped at the sound of another voice appearing from somewhere. She turned her head about wildly, trying to locate it. “Who there!?” “It's not a matter of who, but a matter of what.” It shot back. Despite the pain in her back leg, Twilight stood up shakily. “I don't understand...” Whatever it was, growled slightly. “Of course not. Mere mortals don't understand the concept of Eternals.” Twilight drew her attention ahead of where she heard the voice. She looked up as her draw dropped. A massive crystal pillar jutted from the floor into the ceiling, white and light-blue runes glowed all around its structure each one thrumming with power. Three blood-red eyes gazed at her from within the pillar, the pupils were slitted almost like a dragon's, they had more of a four pointed star look to them. Twilight began to sweat. “E-Eternals?” She asked as she took a step back. The middle eye blinked. “Yessss, beings who came before your Alicorns, We are one such being.” Twilight lowered her head in fear. “Now, what issss your name, equine? You musssst have one” It asked with a heavy hiss. She could feel her legs shaking as it spoke. “T-Twilight Abigail S-Sparkle.” Twilight answered as the red eyes narrowed slightly. “We see. We are Voidras, Twilight Abigail Sparkle.” Voidras as it referred to itself as it rose higher within the pillar. “Why are you here?” Twilight hesitated. She had never encountered a creature like this before, she could somehow feel its immense power from within the crystal pillar. She briefly looked at the runes more closely. 'The magic coming off of those runes feels like Princess Celestia's and Luna's. But why?' She stepped closer and placed a hoof upon a blue rune. 'There's no doubt, this is definitely Luna's magical signature.' Twilight rubbed her tears away with a hoof and gazed back at the red eyes of Voidras who was now level with her. “They imprisoned you down here didn't they?” Voidras seemed to understand who she meant. “Yessss, the Sun and Moon Alicorns trapped Us within this crystal prison.” It growled again, Voidras's voice reverberating across the crystal. “We wish nothing, but to be free again...” The wounded mare turned, and walked away as swiftly as she could. “Then, I'm afraid you're out of luck. If the Princesses saw fit to seal you away down here, than it's probably for the best.” Voidras's eyes widened for a moment before it rose up. “Like how they put you here with Us?” That stopped Twilight mid-stride, as her own eyes widened. “What?” She said meekly. “Alicorns have always been an arrogant race. Believing themselves above all other races of Pony.” Twilight turned her head around slowly. “Why do you think they would imprison you here, with the likes of Us? We can see it within you, the potential to become something more. And yet here you are, sealed away beneath their hooves like a criminal. Never to see the light of day again.” Twilight stared at its baleful eyes. “Itsss not hard to miss, Twilight Abigail Sparkle. We witnessed the entire scene from within here, they did not believe a word you said, did they?” Voidras smiled warmly at her with its dagger-like teeth. Twilight's ears pinned back against her skull. “They did not.” She murmured. “The Alicorn named Cadence, fooled you. But so did your mentor Celestia. Doesn't it strike you odd that she would so easily turn on you, the moment you say anything negative about her fellow Alicorn?” Voidras asked curiously. The lavender mare faced Voidras. “Well, maybe a little. Princess Celestia always seems distracted or cold faced whenever I asked a personal question about her origins.” “It's simple. She is the eldest Alicorn alive correct?” Twilight nodded slowly. “We see. How many Alicorns all together, that you know about?” Twilight looked down. “Three so far. But there have been legends and myths of other Alicorns throughout the history section in the Canterlot Library.” “Yessss. We can see that your talent is Magic yessss?” Another nod. “Cadenza trapped you down here for a reason, and it is likely that Celestia is aware of this.” Twilight blanched. 'What did it just say?!' She glared at it for a moment. “Princess Celestia would never allow such a thing to happen when she can help it! I'm her...her...her faithful student...” She trailed off. “And yet here you are. With Us. All alone. She turned away from you without a second thought, her most faithful student. She couldn't bare the thought of a lesser Unicorn say nasty things about her own niece.” Voidras growled and smiled cruelly at Twilight. “You are nothing but a prize to be shown to the other races of equine, Twilight Abigail Sparkle. She cared not for your safety when you faced down Chaos Incarnate or the Terror Nightmare her sister became. We saw it in her eyes, those cold, calculating eyes filled with deceit.” Voidras's eyes softened. “We wished nothing but to bring peace and equality to the world, but they disagreed and sealed Us away for all time, deep beneath their seat of power, eons ago.” Twilight looked at Voidras with rapt attention, not seeing the creeping tendril of darkness coming up behind her head. “W-why should I even trust a word you say? For all I know you could be lying to me just so you can escape and wreak chaos.” The tendril paused. Voidras smiled toothily. “What have you to lose? We swear, you have nothing to fear, except...” Twilight lowered in head. “Except? What?” Voidras smirked softly. “Except this.” The tendril rushed forward and sunk itself into Twilight's head. Twilight screamed, her head was yanked back as the tendril lifted her body into the air and before Voidras's face behind the crystal pillar. “Understand Us, Twilight.” Twilight stared in terror. “We feel your pain, your every fear, loss, your feel betrayed by those closest to you. We wish to be free of here, the same as you do. Understand our pain, understand Us and We will understand you like you deserve.” Twilight was brought closer. “You're not alone, another being like you came to Us once, long ago. She felt betrayed by everything she knew. She asked Us for the power to gain the respect she wanted and fell to her own fool's heart. You know of whom We speak.” Twilight's eyes widened as tears of pain fell down her cheeks. “We will help you, if you help Us. If its revenge you seek, than We shall seek it also. If its the truth you want than We shall want it too.” Twilight cried. “Do I have a choice?” Voidras nodded. “What's your bargain?” “One thing.” Voidras summoned more tendrils and they carefully mended Twilight's wounds and noisily snapped Twilight's twisted leg into place, she clenched her teeth. “Freedom. We shall assist you at every corner, no one shall ever betray you again. We shall house Our power in you, Twilight Abigail Sparkle. Equestria, no the world shall fear Our power, we can see it within you your endless want for knowledge, with Us by your side, the world shall be your library, your canvas.” Voidras brought her even closer. “Just place your hoof upon this crystal, to undo this wretched seal holding Us within. Your connection to Harmony is strong enough, this seal would've broken eventually but We have waited for far too long.” Twilight wordlessly lifted a hoof as Voidras's tendrils wrapped around her gently. “Yessss that's it, Twilight.” Magic itself blossomed within Twilight as she laid her hoof on the largest rune helping contain Voidras. “Let it fill every fiber of your being. You will know power. You will know truth. You will know Freedom. Together.” The runes glowed for a moment longer. Than went out all at once. The cave exploded in a shower of endless darkness. Voidras smiled a sinister smile as it held Twilight in its grey-black crystal claws. “We haven't lied to you pony. Together this world will know peace, an eternal peace under Our sway.” Under the guise of darkness Twilight's body began to change. “You shall become Our second Seed in existence, in the place where Our first Seed failed.” The cavern rumbled as Voidras stalked through it, with no feat upon the ground. “Alicorns. Ugly creatures they are, false deities for the mortal realm. No more, Our brethren are gone and will not stop Us from doing what We set out to do before.” Twilight's eyes were barely open, but if one looked closely, one could see how her pupils became a sinister four pointed black star. Chapter 2: The ReturnMare of the Void Chapter 2: The Return The wedding was going off without a hitch, Princess Celestia though was sweating profusely. She had not seen hide or hair of her student Twilight for hours, even after the scene during the wedding rehearsal. She knew Twilight was hurt, and she went searching for her all around Canterlot; her room was empty, the observatory tower was devoid of life besides a maid cleaning it, even the Royal Canterlot library was short a purple, book loving mare. The Princess figured Twilight needed time to herself after their argument, but she wanted nothing more, than to make her student feel better and maybe visit Pony Joe's after the wedding. Roughly an hour ago, the entire base of Canterlot shook, Celestia couldn't put her hoof on it. 'Earthquakes are a rare occurrence in Equestria, the last one gave rise to Mount Kolga, seven centuries back.' She looked at Shining Armor, he seemed...odd. He stood like a statue and hadn't moved for the past hour, even as Cadence cantered toward them. 'I'll talk to him after this, he's most likely worried about Twilight just the same as I am.' Celestia smiled warmly as Cadence came to stop before her. She began with the usual opening for a wedding ceremony. 'Cadence' snickered internally, as Celestia spoke. 'So close now. Just a little more and my plan can begin, these ponies won't know how to react fast enough to know what's coming.' The pink Alicorn had already dealt with her biggest obstacle; Twilight Sparkle, who was now trapped deep beneath Canterlot and wouldn't escape anytime soon. 'With her out of the way this will be like taking candy from a-' Her thoughts were interrupted by another loud boom that caused dust to fall from the ceiling. She briefly looked outside, and felt her jaw drop slightly. Celestia saw this and the majority of guests go wide eyed when the thunderous sound echoed across the city. “One moment, fillies and gentle colts.” The princess nodded to her closest guards than trotted to the balcony overlooking Canterlot. What she saw made her light her horn on reflex, the sky was shrouded by dark billowing clouds. Even her beloved Sun wasn't visible through the think mass of cloud cover. Arcs of red lightning struck the ground, launching up debris over the streets, ponies ran to and fro trying not to be crushed. “Captain Swift!” Celestia called out to the golden plated Pegasus beside her. “Your Majesty!” He saluted, standing upright. “Take your fastest and most able bodied Pegasi and contain those thunder clouds!” The princess ordered, the captain nodded and flew into air. A piercing screech filled the air and Celestia cranked her head over. Countless flying creatures were pouring out from within the clouds. 'Wyverns!?' They certainly looked like the winged cousins of the dragons, but there was something creepingly off about them. Celestia took to the skies and blasted one across its face, the black scaled wyvern screeched and fell to a nearby roof. Celestia landed than began scanning the creature with her magic. She paused when she felt a familiar signature, a very evil one at that. She stumbled back a few steps in a panic. “Somepony released it!?” A tremor shook the ground as more of the black Wyverns flooded the sky, the dark clouds began to swirl together forming a huge cone. The solar mare gazed up and broke out into a cold sweat. Three blood red eyes, pupils shaped like a four-pointed star stared back from within the tornado. “Voidras...” She breathed. The middle eye narrowed. “Celestia, We have missed you.” The wyverns stopped in their tracks and under the command of Voidras circled Celestia. “These Void Wyverns of Ours remember you.” It hissed. Taking action, Celestia blasted through the sky and into the castle, where Spike and Twilight's friends were waiting with various degrees of worry on their faces. “Gather the Elements now! You MUST find Twilight. Go. Now!” She yelled before heading to her sister's tower. Voidras waited patiently for the alicorn to return with her sibling, hoping for a fight. Canterlot's civilians ran in fear of the being before them in a terror induced panic. It had realized earlier, a swarm of small insect-like creatures buzzing around the shield that surrounded the city. They seemed excited about something, and especially hungry due to the massive hunger radiating off of them. Voidras had dealt with them personally. “More Voidlings for Our cause.” It smirked cruelly, as a white speck dashed across the castle. “What happened to her over the eons? Her connection to Harmony is much too weak.” Its crystalline arms spread out, a small violet sphere of energy was clutched in Voidras' right claw. “It's almost time, Our dear Seed. They will pay for their transgressions against Us both.” Looking down, Voidras gently caressed the sphere with its free claw. “Such a powerful aura, you will be more than a match for these Alicorns.” It closed its middle eye as the violet orb glowed floating between its claws. “Twilight Abigail Sparkle, feel Our power, feel Our pain, feel Our...Emptiness.” Power cascaded throughout Voidras, and over to the prone form of Twilight as the Wyverns screeched and flew around them in packs. Voidras was about to open its eye when suddenly dozens of pegasi dove in from the castle, Celestia at the front, but Princess Luna was strangely absent. “She must not wish to face Us again.” It smirked as Celestia hovered and her guards (Unicorns included) took up stances. Celestia was still sweating a river as she glared warily at Voidras, but kept her voice firm. “Leave these lands and my subjects out of this Voidras. This is between you and me.” “Ussss and you?” It crossed its arms and nuzzled Twilight's sphere. “There's more to this than just some quarrel We had eons ago. A pony came to Us in her despair, We offered Our power and she freed Us.” Celestia's horn shone brightly, she destroyed wyvern after wyvern as Voidras spoke. “It'ssss about time Our new Seed ended your race for good.” The wind picked as the violet sphere rose, Celestia finished off another void wyvern and made her way toward it. “That poor soul you have fooled, I will not allow them to be played with any further!” Voidras swiped at her with its tendrils, Celestia raised herself up, narrowly avoiding the dark appendages. She threw her legs around the glowing sphere and soared back into the castle. “Retreat now!” The guards broke off their fights with the amassing wyverns, and followed their princess. Celestia looked around the castle lobby which was filled to the brim with ponies. 'Good, Luna must have sent them here, Canterlot is lost with Voidras free.' She though grimly. “Princess!” A voice called from behind her. Turning around, Celestia caught sight of Twilight's friends, minus Spike. “Did you find Twilight?” She asked worriedly. The Elements all sighed. “Not quite, Your Highness.” Rarity huffed. “We can't find the egghead anywhere!” Rainbow spun around before groaning. Pinkie seemed to deflate a little. “We have our Elements but, Twilight just isn't anywhere we looked.” The princess panicked as her worry rose for her student. 'Twilight where have you gone? Did my words hurt you that much?' She shifted in place nervously, despite her face looking calm and composed. The sphere beneath her hooves pulsated, startled out of her thoughts she looked down. The violet sphere was the size of a pony, and it seemed to be filled with pure mana. 'What has Voidras done to this pony?' It would hard to tell what the sphere was by a normal pony, but Princess Celestia was no ordinary pony. She could sense the life force of a mare coming from the sphere. It pulsated again, than grew larger. “Wha-” She cut off as the wall was blown in by a huge crystalline fist, and Voidras drew its head inside looking at the crowd of terrified ponies. “We believe you have something of Ours.” “You're not gonna take any of my little ponies, creature.” The princess growled. 'This is not good, without Twilight the Elements of Harmony will be powerless against Voidras.' “We're not asking, hand over Our Seed pitiful equine.” Wyverns flew into the chamber. The violet sphere's glow almost blinded everyone around it as it grew more and more. Voidras's smile grew past its eyes. “Too late.” It shot its tendrils toward them attempting to reclaim the growing sphere. “No, too late for you!” Luna zoomed in and blasted the tendrils away with a huge beam of concentrated moonlight. “Sister! We may lack our connection Harmony, but we are NOT helpless!” She landed beside Celestia with courageous grin. “Sorry I took so long, those pesky Wyverns barred my windows and doors shut than attacked me in my chambers.” Celestia felt her heart grow stronger as she lit her horn in tandem. “Then let's not waste anymore time sister mine!” The alicorns fired a combined beam of magic directly into Voidras's open mouth, causing it to smash its head into the ceiling. “Where are Shining Armor and Cadence?!” Celestia yelled, pumping more power into her horn. “I'm afraid 'Cadence' wasn't Cadence at all, sister! Before I arrived, I found her trying to escape the city with the Captain!” The sisters took a step forward as they hammered Voidras with even more heavy doses of pure mana. “Turns out, she was actually a Changeling in disguise! She had us all fooled!” Celestia almost tripped over herself as she digested the news. 'Than, Twilight was right all along...oh I am such a foal!' Harnessing her anger toward herself, Celestia unleashed all of her pent up emotions upon Voidras. “Have you seen Twilight!?” “I haven't seen her, no!” Luna felt her strength begin to leave her, as she panted. Celestia felt a similar feeling of exhaustion over her as she pummeled Voidras. Their magic ran out slowly, and they both collapsed into a heap. “I'm...too...tired...Celly...” Luna breathed as she fought to keep her eyes open. “Me...me too...Lulu...did...we...do it?” They gazed up and noticed a sizable hole in the lobby's ceiling and wall, but the wyverns were gone along with Voidras seemingly... “I...I don't...know...it won't...go down that...easily.” Luna stood up shakily as did her sister. “Well played, Alicorns. But now We are finished playing your little gamessss.” Voidras rose from the rubble covering it, and growled impatiently. “Sssseed, reveal yourself! And be born anew!” The violet sphere from before hovered above everypony, than began to fracture in several spots. Voidras let loose a silent laugh. Black light shone from the cracks like light from the sun. A hoof burst free of the sphere, followed by three more. The legs soon wiggled their way past the walls of the sphere, purple fur grew a rapid rate along the limbs. A bladed black horn cut through the thick crystal-like membrane, a purple stripe ran up the back of the horn, the four limbs flailed around, attempting to break free. Celestia, still tired from unleashing her fury upon Voidras, stood up beside Luna as the Element Bearers took point behind them. Her eyes couldn't focus, her legs felt like jelly. 'Must...save..' The sphere cracked even further before shattering, its pieces vanishing into nothing. A large form landed with a thud, its limbs finding purchase on the floor as it stood up tall. The mare before the frightened crowd was tall, very tall, at least the height of Celestia. A gaseous black mane and tail billowed past her obscured head and cutie mark, flashes of purple lit up within occasionally. Lavender fur covered the mare's curvy body, her strong build gave her a sense a foreboding as the mane moved down to reveal a purple eye. The mare's pupil was star shaped like Voidras's. Celestia's stomach dropped. “Twilight!?! No! Not you! Never you...” The alabaster mare fell to her side in defeat. Twilight's friends backed away in fear not believing what was before them. Luna's jaw dropped, mortal terror gripping her heart. Voidras smiled softly at Twilight. “Gorgeous, isn't she? We're quite proud of this one.” It sneered at them. “You hurt ssssuch a beautiful creature, and now she's with Ussss.” Twilight eyes roamed across the assembled crowd, testing their courage with her sight alone. It didn't last long as she dropped her head with a whimper. 'I feel nothing toward them, my mind is clear.' “That issss a very natural side effect, Our Seed.” Voidras purred as it came up behind Twilight. “You'll find that Our power will change you in wayssss that no other could begin to understand.” “Do not listen to it Twilight Sparkle! It's only using you for its own goals!” Luna warned firmly. Twilight raised her head and peered into Luna's eyes. “I can see that you, yourself haven't been truthful either Luna. Why do you hide behind that curtain?” She smiled softly. “Trust me, Luna. No need to hide any longer.” She swatted Voidras away from her and stepped toward the moon princess. Luna tripped over herself trying to escape, but she was much too weak to continue standing. “T-Twilight, p-please what are you talking about?” She asked with a stutter. “You can't conceal that beautiful form from me, Luna.” She laid a lavender hoof on Luna's shoulder and spoke in a whisper. “Please trust me, I trust Voidras only as far as I can throw it. Besides, you are the only one I can really trust right now.” Twilight sniffled. Luna opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Twilight's appearance was heart wrenching, but the unicorn was Luna's first real friend ever since her return from the moon. Besides Celestia, nopony else was very open with her and they all avoided her like the plague whenever they could. Of course there was also Twilight's friends, but even they weren't as close as Twilight Sparkle was to her. Behind them, Luna could hear Voidras growling angrily. She sighed. “Alright.” She felt Twilight help her to her hooves. Voidras stopped its glowering as a grin creeped up its face. “There wassss another thing.” Twilight supported Luna as the lunar mare leaned heavily on her. Rarity and the others turned to glance at Twilight. “Luna, don't you have a rendezvous with a certain...” Its grin turned predatory. “Filly of yourssss?” Luna's eyed widened. “Don't you dare...” She mumbled, as Voidras grabbed Twilight and Luna. “Release me!” “No.” It smiled before they disappeared with a flash of darkness. The various guards around the chamber charged Voidras, it raised itself up as it knocked the stallions senseless with its tendrils. “It may seem petty, but there will be plenty of suffering before We end you this time.” Panting, Celestia gathered the last of her strength into her horn. “You may be too much for us to handle right now, Voidras. But this won't be our demise.” Voidras opened its maw, darkness spewed out and began engulfing the ponies in its wake. “Everypony get close to me! Now!” Celestia yelled. As the remaining Element bearers gathered around her, along with several dozen other ponies, Voidras continued its assault. The eldritch horror smiled wide as Celestia's horn shone brilliantly just a before the ponies closest to her vanished with a golden flash. “Hide and seek, is it? Interesting. Okay then, We'll play along.” Chapter 3: Celestia's NightmareMare of the Void Chapter 3: Celestia's Nightmare “Get them into the caves. Quickly!” Princess Celestia panted as her remaining guard ponies guided the Canterlot citizens deep into the caves of the Canterhorn. “But Your Highness, what about you?” Asked Shining Armour, the captain of Celestia's Day Guard and Princess Cadence's groom-to be. “I don't have time to explain Captain Armour.” Celestia bit her lip as she heard the sound of loud rumbling to the west of Canterlot. 'Voidras will find us soon. I must buy them time to escape.' Another rumble to the east made itself known. “Go! Get my subjects to safety!” Once the last of the ponies were inside the cave Celestia telekinetically sent Shining, Cadence and the last few guards after them. “Forgive me.” She charged her horn with solar magic. “Princess Celestia! You can't-!” Shining's retort was cut off as Celestia blasted the mountain side and caused a rock slide to cover the entrance to the cave. The Princess closed her eyes and waited. One step. Two. Three. Four. Five... “And where have your precioussss ponies gone, Alicorn?” Celestia gazed forward into the blood-red eyes of her age old adversary. She felt a shiver of terror grip her like a vice as the giant form of Voidras towered over her. “That's none of your concern creature.” She hissed in anticipation. “Oh? That's too bad, we were looking forward to them becoming a part of Us.” Voidras grinned cruelly showing its razor-sharp teeth. “Without Our failed Seed by your sssside, you can't possibly stop Us from taking you as one of Us.” It sighed loudly. “I have just one question for you, Voidras.” “Do you now?” It gave her a curious look. Celestia braced herself, asking what this abomination did to her student was at the forefront of her mind. But she knew she didn't need to ask, this time it was personal. “...Do you know what happens when a star dies?” She asked. Voidras frowned slightly, then continued smiling. “No, what does happen Alicorn?” Celestia steadied her breath as she raised her horn skyward. With her magic, Celestia banished the clouds away and forced her Sun to reach its apex in the sky. 'I hope She doesn't cause too much damage.' Reaching deep within her soul Celestia found her, and waited as she felt the temperature around body rising. “It goes SUPERNOVA!!” Screaming at the top of her lungs, Celestia's mane and tail burst into flames, her crown melted into molten gold then reformed into a new one. This crown had two large golden dragon-like horns sitting just behind Celestia's ears, where there was once one purple jewel sat five new ones encircling her brow. Golden chain-like beads wrapped around her neck followed by a new peytral embedded with five more purple gems. Four golden hoof cuffs solidified around her hooves, inlaid with even more jewels. Voidras drew back slightly at the sight of the fiery alicorn. “So you've given into your own darknesssss.” It laughed silently. Celestia opened her eyes slowly-which were now slitted like a dragon's-a small fire glowing behind her pupils. “I am Nightmare Star.” The eldrich horror's eyes widened with glee. “You hold none of Our power, but you hold within you a Nightmare. Interesting.” The newly christened Nightmare Star curled her lips in disgust. “Do not mock me beast! I am nothing like that false Nightmare you created within my sister!” Her horn lit with fiery wrath and unleashed a very powerful blast of super-heated plasma upon the dark Eternal. Voidras raised an arm to block the beam, which the plasma cut through like butter. The beam obliterated half of Voidras' face upon contact which caused it to let out a blood curdling roar. Nightmare Star flew overhead with her horn wreathed with flames, her mouth curled in hatred. “You will pay for your insolence! Turning both my dear sister and my favoured student into your playthings!! This day will be your last!! Under MY flaming star!!” Tendrils of all sizes rose into the air as Voidras' head and arms vanished into its formless body. “Harming Us will cosssst you more than your ssssoul! We shall enjoy wrenching your power away and using it to burn your body into ash!!” The mass lashed at her with its tendrils. Nightmare Star nimbly avoided the tendrils as they reached for her. “Child's play.” She charged her horn again than unleashed another beam of plasma. Darkness surrounded the nightmarish alicorn on all sides as her beam failed to hit the creature. “Tch.” She quickly teleported away from the mass of Voidras. Magic gathered around her horn as the glowed even brighter causing the air around Canterlot to grow hotter. Voidras' head reappeared from the mass grinning. “Try again.” It felt its limbs and movements becoming slower as it attempted to move. A large red magic circle below Voidras' form burst into existence. “What's this?” Red strands gripped at its flowing body. Balls of plasma fired from Nightmare Star's horn striking Voidras. “How's this monster?” The eldrich horror continued to smile. 'Why is it still grinning!?' She growled internally. Voidras delighted in the solar alicorn's expression of anger and utter hatred. “Such darknessssss...” It purred. It raised its right arm and swung it at Nightmare Star. The alicorn raised a shield but it shattered on impact with the crystalline arm, sending her into the roof of a nearby house with a painful thud. Energy gathered in Voidras' maw, once done it sent a sphere of darkness directly to where the mare landed. The explosion decimated the building much to Voidras' excitement. A laugh erupted from above it where Nightmare Star hovered with her own grin. “Is that all you have? Ventus Solaris!” Waves of super-heated energy burned into Voidras' limbs. Voidras snapped out of its bonds and bull rushed Nightmare into another house which in turn burst into flames soon after. Nightmare Star minimized most of the damage with a quick teleport. “Voidras is getting stronger? How?” A claw reached for her out from the burning wreckage. “Damn!” Summoning a lance made of solar fire, Nightmare launched it straight into Voidras' arm with all her might. Unfortunately, the weapon was deflected by a stray tendril as more moved in to grab her. “No!” Voidras rose up to its supposed full height and leveled a glare at the solar princess. Opening its maw, it it dangled Nightmare Star over its head planning to swallow her whole. “Good attempt, but time's up for you Celestia. We are starving due to being trapped below for several millennia, you and your Alicorn soul will do nicely.” Nightmare Star struggled within Voidras' grasp, angry at herself for failing once again to stop it for good. 'I can't fall here!' Her horn flared angrily as her magic began to turn the city of Canterlot into a burning inferno. 'I can't lose to this thing!' She let out a desperate scream. “So pitiful, Equine. You and your sister are the last Alicorns in existence, devouring you will be a pleasure.” Before Nightmare Star could break free Voidras lunged forward and ate her as she screamed once more. “TWILIGHT!” Voidras let out a silent laugh as the sun dimmed and the temperature lowered drastically. “Sssso delicioussss.” It hissed in delight. “Now who's next?” As the sky darkened Luna cried in despair as she held a large pale lavender mare in her hooves. “My sister-” She sniffled. “-has fallen...i-it can't be.” More tears came to her eyes. “How did this all happen? That monster was never that strong before, Twilight!” She buried her muzzle into the warm of the pony before her. “I don't know Luna.” Twilight cringed internally as her base emotions were muted by Voidras' powerful magic. “Celestia was a strong mare at heart.” “Why do you talk as if you don't care about my sister's demise!?” Luna screamed at her. “She was your mentor!” Twilight looked away. “Was my mentor, Luna. She's not anymore.” She said in a emotionless voice. “Twilight Sparkle! How could you say that!” Luna tightened her grip around the pony as she bawled her eyes out. “M-my sister is...is...is...” She shut her eyes tight as despair and grief took over. “...I will not let Celestia die in vain Luna.” The Mare of the Void vowed as she stepped outside and left Luna to her own devices. The Lunar Princess opened her eyes as Twilight left and gazed down at pale mare in her arms. “Voidras is a monster that spreads darkness like a plague. It has taken away my only sister, corrupted my first real friend in over a thousand years and has harmed my dear daughter.” Her horn lit up in anger as her glamour faded away revealing her midnight black coat and draconic eyes. “It will pay dearly for this! Together my daughter, Silent Dusk. Voidras will be burn in Tartarus!!” Luna yelled as the pony in her hooves awoke into the waking world. Chapter 4: CadenceSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.Chapter 5: Silent DuskSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
Chapter 1: She and ItMare of the Void Chapter 1: She and It Twilight Sparkle wept. Everyone she had ever known, had given her the cold shoulder. Even her beloved mentor, Princess Celestia turned away from her student and went to comfort 'Cadence'. Twilight knew there was something wrong about her former foal sitter, but she couldn't find any evidence of her treachery. 'She put me down here, after all. With no way to return.' Twilight had found herself sealed beneath Canterlot's foundation, deep within the abandoned Crystal Mines. Ages ago, countless greedy Unicorns sought to horde the mines' vast amount of magical crystals to themselves. Many lost their lives down here, never to be seen or heard from again. Those who did survive became babbling madponies, due to the large amount of wild and untamed magic that dwelt within the walls. Twilight knew these stories well, her own uncle once stepped foot into the mines, searching for a rare gem that was said to grant wishes. A week later he was found missing, various guard patrols set about the infamous caverns, after another week of searching the corpse of Vane Sparkle was found. 'Uncle Vane...' Twilight shook her head in agony, shaking the terrible thoughts away and back to her current predicament. “I must find a way out of here, Cadence must be stopped.” Rising to her hooves once again, Twilight stepped into another vast cavern. She lit her horn with a weak light spell, and sent the small ball of focused magic directly in front of her. Several huge crystals laid about the cavern reflecting some of the magical light. The sad unicorn trudged forward slowly, with a slight limp in her right hind leg. 'Tch, it's definitely twisted.' She murmured mentally. Twilight looked left and right, attempting to peer into the darkness the best she could. All around her were various sizes and shapes of the crystals embedded into the walls and ground, which was free of any sort of mining tools and rail tracks. “Now that's strange, so far I've come across all sorts of abandoned mining equipment, but this room is bare of any sign of pony hooves.” Twilight mused warily as she made her way to the center of the vast space. Her spell fizzed out and the cave went black. “Darn it!” She tried her magic again, but nothing came up. “N-n-no! Not n-n-now!” Finally after hours of fruitless searching, Twilight smacked face-first into something and fell to her belly and sobbed. “W-why?! Why did nopony believe me?! I cared and treated the girls like they were my actual sisters.” She covered her face with her hooves as she felt another rack of sobs come down. “Princess, you too...fooled so easily by...Her.” Twilight's anger flared harshly, but it was smothered just as fast by her rising hopelessness. “I can no longer stop her from whatever she's planning, oh Cadence, why have you betrayed me like this? I thought we were best friends.” Cadence's recent actions shattered Twilight's deep affection of her, it was such a fickle thing. A little filly's crush. She was mad that her brother never bothered to tell her that he planned on marrying Twilight's foal sitter, but was still happy for both of them. Her love for Cadence would never sprout again unfortunately, as her world upended around her, and her once close friends and family deserted her. “Even my own parents, haven't said a word to me ever since we arrived...” Her crying stopped suddenly. “NO! Why!? WHY!? WHHYYYY!??” Twilight's voice filled the vast chamber, it bounced off of every surface for miles until a deep voice answered back. “You seem lost, equine.” Twilight gasped at the sound of another voice appearing from somewhere. She turned her head about wildly, trying to locate it. “Who there!?” “It's not a matter of who, but a matter of what.” It shot back. Despite the pain in her back leg, Twilight stood up shakily. “I don't understand...” Whatever it was, growled slightly. “Of course not. Mere mortals don't understand the concept of Eternals.” Twilight drew her attention ahead of where she heard the voice. She looked up as her draw dropped. A massive crystal pillar jutted from the floor into the ceiling, white and light-blue runes glowed all around its structure each one thrumming with power. Three blood-red eyes gazed at her from within the pillar, the pupils were slitted almost like a dragon's, they had more of a four pointed star look to them. Twilight began to sweat. “E-Eternals?” She asked as she took a step back. The middle eye blinked. “Yessss, beings who came before your Alicorns, We are one such being.” Twilight lowered her head in fear. “Now, what issss your name, equine? You musssst have one” It asked with a heavy hiss. She could feel her legs shaking as it spoke. “T-Twilight Abigail S-Sparkle.” Twilight answered as the red eyes narrowed slightly. “We see. We are Voidras, Twilight Abigail Sparkle.” Voidras as it referred to itself as it rose higher within the pillar. “Why are you here?” Twilight hesitated. She had never encountered a creature like this before, she could somehow feel its immense power from within the crystal pillar. She briefly looked at the runes more closely. 'The magic coming off of those runes feels like Princess Celestia's and Luna's. But why?' She stepped closer and placed a hoof upon a blue rune. 'There's no doubt, this is definitely Luna's magical signature.' Twilight rubbed her tears away with a hoof and gazed back at the red eyes of Voidras who was now level with her. “They imprisoned you down here didn't they?” Voidras seemed to understand who she meant. “Yessss, the Sun and Moon Alicorns trapped Us within this crystal prison.” It growled again, Voidras's voice reverberating across the crystal. “We wish nothing, but to be free again...” The wounded mare turned, and walked away as swiftly as she could. “Then, I'm afraid you're out of luck. If the Princesses saw fit to seal you away down here, than it's probably for the best.” Voidras's eyes widened for a moment before it rose up. “Like how they put you here with Us?” That stopped Twilight mid-stride, as her own eyes widened. “What?” She said meekly. “Alicorns have always been an arrogant race. Believing themselves above all other races of Pony.” Twilight turned her head around slowly. “Why do you think they would imprison you here, with the likes of Us? We can see it within you, the potential to become something more. And yet here you are, sealed away beneath their hooves like a criminal. Never to see the light of day again.” Twilight stared at its baleful eyes. “Itsss not hard to miss, Twilight Abigail Sparkle. We witnessed the entire scene from within here, they did not believe a word you said, did they?” Voidras smiled warmly at her with its dagger-like teeth. Twilight's ears pinned back against her skull. “They did not.” She murmured. “The Alicorn named Cadence, fooled you. But so did your mentor Celestia. Doesn't it strike you odd that she would so easily turn on you, the moment you say anything negative about her fellow Alicorn?” Voidras asked curiously. The lavender mare faced Voidras. “Well, maybe a little. Princess Celestia always seems distracted or cold faced whenever I asked a personal question about her origins.” “It's simple. She is the eldest Alicorn alive correct?” Twilight nodded slowly. “We see. How many Alicorns all together, that you know about?” Twilight looked down. “Three so far. But there have been legends and myths of other Alicorns throughout the history section in the Canterlot Library.” “Yessss. We can see that your talent is Magic yessss?” Another nod. “Cadenza trapped you down here for a reason, and it is likely that Celestia is aware of this.” Twilight blanched. 'What did it just say?!' She glared at it for a moment. “Princess Celestia would never allow such a thing to happen when she can help it! I'm her...her...her faithful student...” She trailed off. “And yet here you are. With Us. All alone. She turned away from you without a second thought, her most faithful student. She couldn't bare the thought of a lesser Unicorn say nasty things about her own niece.” Voidras growled and smiled cruelly at Twilight. “You are nothing but a prize to be shown to the other races of equine, Twilight Abigail Sparkle. She cared not for your safety when you faced down Chaos Incarnate or the Terror Nightmare her sister became. We saw it in her eyes, those cold, calculating eyes filled with deceit.” Voidras's eyes softened. “We wished nothing but to bring peace and equality to the world, but they disagreed and sealed Us away for all time, deep beneath their seat of power, eons ago.” Twilight looked at Voidras with rapt attention, not seeing the creeping tendril of darkness coming up behind her head. “W-why should I even trust a word you say? For all I know you could be lying to me just so you can escape and wreak chaos.” The tendril paused. Voidras smiled toothily. “What have you to lose? We swear, you have nothing to fear, except...” Twilight lowered in head. “Except? What?” Voidras smirked softly. “Except this.” The tendril rushed forward and sunk itself into Twilight's head. Twilight screamed, her head was yanked back as the tendril lifted her body into the air and before Voidras's face behind the crystal pillar. “Understand Us, Twilight.” Twilight stared in terror. “We feel your pain, your every fear, loss, your feel betrayed by those closest to you. We wish to be free of here, the same as you do. Understand our pain, understand Us and We will understand you like you deserve.” Twilight was brought closer. “You're not alone, another being like you came to Us once, long ago. She felt betrayed by everything she knew. She asked Us for the power to gain the respect she wanted and fell to her own fool's heart. You know of whom We speak.” Twilight's eyes widened as tears of pain fell down her cheeks. “We will help you, if you help Us. If its revenge you seek, than We shall seek it also. If its the truth you want than We shall want it too.” Twilight cried. “Do I have a choice?” Voidras nodded. “What's your bargain?” “One thing.” Voidras summoned more tendrils and they carefully mended Twilight's wounds and noisily snapped Twilight's twisted leg into place, she clenched her teeth. “Freedom. We shall assist you at every corner, no one shall ever betray you again. We shall house Our power in you, Twilight Abigail Sparkle. Equestria, no the world shall fear Our power, we can see it within you your endless want for knowledge, with Us by your side, the world shall be your library, your canvas.” Voidras brought her even closer. “Just place your hoof upon this crystal, to undo this wretched seal holding Us within. Your connection to Harmony is strong enough, this seal would've broken eventually but We have waited for far too long.” Twilight wordlessly lifted a hoof as Voidras's tendrils wrapped around her gently. “Yessss that's it, Twilight.” Magic itself blossomed within Twilight as she laid her hoof on the largest rune helping contain Voidras. “Let it fill every fiber of your being. You will know power. You will know truth. You will know Freedom. Together.” The runes glowed for a moment longer. Than went out all at once. The cave exploded in a shower of endless darkness. Voidras smiled a sinister smile as it held Twilight in its grey-black crystal claws. “We haven't lied to you pony. Together this world will know peace, an eternal peace under Our sway.” Under the guise of darkness Twilight's body began to change. “You shall become Our second Seed in existence, in the place where Our first Seed failed.” The cavern rumbled as Voidras stalked through it, with no feat upon the ground. “Alicorns. Ugly creatures they are, false deities for the mortal realm. No more, Our brethren are gone and will not stop Us from doing what We set out to do before.” Twilight's eyes were barely open, but if one looked closely, one could see how her pupils became a sinister four pointed black star.
Chapter 2: The ReturnMare of the Void Chapter 2: The Return The wedding was going off without a hitch, Princess Celestia though was sweating profusely. She had not seen hide or hair of her student Twilight for hours, even after the scene during the wedding rehearsal. She knew Twilight was hurt, and she went searching for her all around Canterlot; her room was empty, the observatory tower was devoid of life besides a maid cleaning it, even the Royal Canterlot library was short a purple, book loving mare. The Princess figured Twilight needed time to herself after their argument, but she wanted nothing more, than to make her student feel better and maybe visit Pony Joe's after the wedding. Roughly an hour ago, the entire base of Canterlot shook, Celestia couldn't put her hoof on it. 'Earthquakes are a rare occurrence in Equestria, the last one gave rise to Mount Kolga, seven centuries back.' She looked at Shining Armor, he seemed...odd. He stood like a statue and hadn't moved for the past hour, even as Cadence cantered toward them. 'I'll talk to him after this, he's most likely worried about Twilight just the same as I am.' Celestia smiled warmly as Cadence came to stop before her. She began with the usual opening for a wedding ceremony. 'Cadence' snickered internally, as Celestia spoke. 'So close now. Just a little more and my plan can begin, these ponies won't know how to react fast enough to know what's coming.' The pink Alicorn had already dealt with her biggest obstacle; Twilight Sparkle, who was now trapped deep beneath Canterlot and wouldn't escape anytime soon. 'With her out of the way this will be like taking candy from a-' Her thoughts were interrupted by another loud boom that caused dust to fall from the ceiling. She briefly looked outside, and felt her jaw drop slightly. Celestia saw this and the majority of guests go wide eyed when the thunderous sound echoed across the city. “One moment, fillies and gentle colts.” The princess nodded to her closest guards than trotted to the balcony overlooking Canterlot. What she saw made her light her horn on reflex, the sky was shrouded by dark billowing clouds. Even her beloved Sun wasn't visible through the think mass of cloud cover. Arcs of red lightning struck the ground, launching up debris over the streets, ponies ran to and fro trying not to be crushed. “Captain Swift!” Celestia called out to the golden plated Pegasus beside her. “Your Majesty!” He saluted, standing upright. “Take your fastest and most able bodied Pegasi and contain those thunder clouds!” The princess ordered, the captain nodded and flew into air. A piercing screech filled the air and Celestia cranked her head over. Countless flying creatures were pouring out from within the clouds. 'Wyverns!?' They certainly looked like the winged cousins of the dragons, but there was something creepingly off about them. Celestia took to the skies and blasted one across its face, the black scaled wyvern screeched and fell to a nearby roof. Celestia landed than began scanning the creature with her magic. She paused when she felt a familiar signature, a very evil one at that. She stumbled back a few steps in a panic. “Somepony released it!?” A tremor shook the ground as more of the black Wyverns flooded the sky, the dark clouds began to swirl together forming a huge cone. The solar mare gazed up and broke out into a cold sweat. Three blood red eyes, pupils shaped like a four-pointed star stared back from within the tornado. “Voidras...” She breathed. The middle eye narrowed. “Celestia, We have missed you.” The wyverns stopped in their tracks and under the command of Voidras circled Celestia. “These Void Wyverns of Ours remember you.” It hissed. Taking action, Celestia blasted through the sky and into the castle, where Spike and Twilight's friends were waiting with various degrees of worry on their faces. “Gather the Elements now! You MUST find Twilight. Go. Now!” She yelled before heading to her sister's tower. Voidras waited patiently for the alicorn to return with her sibling, hoping for a fight. Canterlot's civilians ran in fear of the being before them in a terror induced panic. It had realized earlier, a swarm of small insect-like creatures buzzing around the shield that surrounded the city. They seemed excited about something, and especially hungry due to the massive hunger radiating off of them. Voidras had dealt with them personally. “More Voidlings for Our cause.” It smirked cruelly, as a white speck dashed across the castle. “What happened to her over the eons? Her connection to Harmony is much too weak.” Its crystalline arms spread out, a small violet sphere of energy was clutched in Voidras' right claw. “It's almost time, Our dear Seed. They will pay for their transgressions against Us both.” Looking down, Voidras gently caressed the sphere with its free claw. “Such a powerful aura, you will be more than a match for these Alicorns.” It closed its middle eye as the violet orb glowed floating between its claws. “Twilight Abigail Sparkle, feel Our power, feel Our pain, feel Our...Emptiness.” Power cascaded throughout Voidras, and over to the prone form of Twilight as the Wyverns screeched and flew around them in packs. Voidras was about to open its eye when suddenly dozens of pegasi dove in from the castle, Celestia at the front, but Princess Luna was strangely absent. “She must not wish to face Us again.” It smirked as Celestia hovered and her guards (Unicorns included) took up stances. Celestia was still sweating a river as she glared warily at Voidras, but kept her voice firm. “Leave these lands and my subjects out of this Voidras. This is between you and me.” “Ussss and you?” It crossed its arms and nuzzled Twilight's sphere. “There's more to this than just some quarrel We had eons ago. A pony came to Us in her despair, We offered Our power and she freed Us.” Celestia's horn shone brightly, she destroyed wyvern after wyvern as Voidras spoke. “It'ssss about time Our new Seed ended your race for good.” The wind picked as the violet sphere rose, Celestia finished off another void wyvern and made her way toward it. “That poor soul you have fooled, I will not allow them to be played with any further!” Voidras swiped at her with its tendrils, Celestia raised herself up, narrowly avoiding the dark appendages. She threw her legs around the glowing sphere and soared back into the castle. “Retreat now!” The guards broke off their fights with the amassing wyverns, and followed their princess. Celestia looked around the castle lobby which was filled to the brim with ponies. 'Good, Luna must have sent them here, Canterlot is lost with Voidras free.' She though grimly. “Princess!” A voice called from behind her. Turning around, Celestia caught sight of Twilight's friends, minus Spike. “Did you find Twilight?” She asked worriedly. The Elements all sighed. “Not quite, Your Highness.” Rarity huffed. “We can't find the egghead anywhere!” Rainbow spun around before groaning. Pinkie seemed to deflate a little. “We have our Elements but, Twilight just isn't anywhere we looked.” The princess panicked as her worry rose for her student. 'Twilight where have you gone? Did my words hurt you that much?' She shifted in place nervously, despite her face looking calm and composed. The sphere beneath her hooves pulsated, startled out of her thoughts she looked down. The violet sphere was the size of a pony, and it seemed to be filled with pure mana. 'What has Voidras done to this pony?' It would hard to tell what the sphere was by a normal pony, but Princess Celestia was no ordinary pony. She could sense the life force of a mare coming from the sphere. It pulsated again, than grew larger. “Wha-” She cut off as the wall was blown in by a huge crystalline fist, and Voidras drew its head inside looking at the crowd of terrified ponies. “We believe you have something of Ours.” “You're not gonna take any of my little ponies, creature.” The princess growled. 'This is not good, without Twilight the Elements of Harmony will be powerless against Voidras.' “We're not asking, hand over Our Seed pitiful equine.” Wyverns flew into the chamber. The violet sphere's glow almost blinded everyone around it as it grew more and more. Voidras's smile grew past its eyes. “Too late.” It shot its tendrils toward them attempting to reclaim the growing sphere. “No, too late for you!” Luna zoomed in and blasted the tendrils away with a huge beam of concentrated moonlight. “Sister! We may lack our connection Harmony, but we are NOT helpless!” She landed beside Celestia with courageous grin. “Sorry I took so long, those pesky Wyverns barred my windows and doors shut than attacked me in my chambers.” Celestia felt her heart grow stronger as she lit her horn in tandem. “Then let's not waste anymore time sister mine!” The alicorns fired a combined beam of magic directly into Voidras's open mouth, causing it to smash its head into the ceiling. “Where are Shining Armor and Cadence?!” Celestia yelled, pumping more power into her horn. “I'm afraid 'Cadence' wasn't Cadence at all, sister! Before I arrived, I found her trying to escape the city with the Captain!” The sisters took a step forward as they hammered Voidras with even more heavy doses of pure mana. “Turns out, she was actually a Changeling in disguise! She had us all fooled!” Celestia almost tripped over herself as she digested the news. 'Than, Twilight was right all along...oh I am such a foal!' Harnessing her anger toward herself, Celestia unleashed all of her pent up emotions upon Voidras. “Have you seen Twilight!?” “I haven't seen her, no!” Luna felt her strength begin to leave her, as she panted. Celestia felt a similar feeling of exhaustion over her as she pummeled Voidras. Their magic ran out slowly, and they both collapsed into a heap. “I'm...too...tired...Celly...” Luna breathed as she fought to keep her eyes open. “Me...me too...Lulu...did...we...do it?” They gazed up and noticed a sizable hole in the lobby's ceiling and wall, but the wyverns were gone along with Voidras seemingly... “I...I don't...know...it won't...go down that...easily.” Luna stood up shakily as did her sister. “Well played, Alicorns. But now We are finished playing your little gamessss.” Voidras rose from the rubble covering it, and growled impatiently. “Sssseed, reveal yourself! And be born anew!” The violet sphere from before hovered above everypony, than began to fracture in several spots. Voidras let loose a silent laugh. Black light shone from the cracks like light from the sun. A hoof burst free of the sphere, followed by three more. The legs soon wiggled their way past the walls of the sphere, purple fur grew a rapid rate along the limbs. A bladed black horn cut through the thick crystal-like membrane, a purple stripe ran up the back of the horn, the four limbs flailed around, attempting to break free. Celestia, still tired from unleashing her fury upon Voidras, stood up beside Luna as the Element Bearers took point behind them. Her eyes couldn't focus, her legs felt like jelly. 'Must...save..' The sphere cracked even further before shattering, its pieces vanishing into nothing. A large form landed with a thud, its limbs finding purchase on the floor as it stood up tall. The mare before the frightened crowd was tall, very tall, at least the height of Celestia. A gaseous black mane and tail billowed past her obscured head and cutie mark, flashes of purple lit up within occasionally. Lavender fur covered the mare's curvy body, her strong build gave her a sense a foreboding as the mane moved down to reveal a purple eye. The mare's pupil was star shaped like Voidras's. Celestia's stomach dropped. “Twilight!?! No! Not you! Never you...” The alabaster mare fell to her side in defeat. Twilight's friends backed away in fear not believing what was before them. Luna's jaw dropped, mortal terror gripping her heart. Voidras smiled softly at Twilight. “Gorgeous, isn't she? We're quite proud of this one.” It sneered at them. “You hurt ssssuch a beautiful creature, and now she's with Ussss.” Twilight eyes roamed across the assembled crowd, testing their courage with her sight alone. It didn't last long as she dropped her head with a whimper. 'I feel nothing toward them, my mind is clear.' “That issss a very natural side effect, Our Seed.” Voidras purred as it came up behind Twilight. “You'll find that Our power will change you in wayssss that no other could begin to understand.” “Do not listen to it Twilight Sparkle! It's only using you for its own goals!” Luna warned firmly. Twilight raised her head and peered into Luna's eyes. “I can see that you, yourself haven't been truthful either Luna. Why do you hide behind that curtain?” She smiled softly. “Trust me, Luna. No need to hide any longer.” She swatted Voidras away from her and stepped toward the moon princess. Luna tripped over herself trying to escape, but she was much too weak to continue standing. “T-Twilight, p-please what are you talking about?” She asked with a stutter. “You can't conceal that beautiful form from me, Luna.” She laid a lavender hoof on Luna's shoulder and spoke in a whisper. “Please trust me, I trust Voidras only as far as I can throw it. Besides, you are the only one I can really trust right now.” Twilight sniffled. Luna opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Twilight's appearance was heart wrenching, but the unicorn was Luna's first real friend ever since her return from the moon. Besides Celestia, nopony else was very open with her and they all avoided her like the plague whenever they could. Of course there was also Twilight's friends, but even they weren't as close as Twilight Sparkle was to her. Behind them, Luna could hear Voidras growling angrily. She sighed. “Alright.” She felt Twilight help her to her hooves. Voidras stopped its glowering as a grin creeped up its face. “There wassss another thing.” Twilight supported Luna as the lunar mare leaned heavily on her. Rarity and the others turned to glance at Twilight. “Luna, don't you have a rendezvous with a certain...” Its grin turned predatory. “Filly of yourssss?” Luna's eyed widened. “Don't you dare...” She mumbled, as Voidras grabbed Twilight and Luna. “Release me!” “No.” It smiled before they disappeared with a flash of darkness. The various guards around the chamber charged Voidras, it raised itself up as it knocked the stallions senseless with its tendrils. “It may seem petty, but there will be plenty of suffering before We end you this time.” Panting, Celestia gathered the last of her strength into her horn. “You may be too much for us to handle right now, Voidras. But this won't be our demise.” Voidras opened its maw, darkness spewed out and began engulfing the ponies in its wake. “Everypony get close to me! Now!” Celestia yelled. As the remaining Element bearers gathered around her, along with several dozen other ponies, Voidras continued its assault. The eldritch horror smiled wide as Celestia's horn shone brilliantly just a before the ponies closest to her vanished with a golden flash. “Hide and seek, is it? Interesting. Okay then, We'll play along.”
Chapter 3: Celestia's NightmareMare of the Void Chapter 3: Celestia's Nightmare “Get them into the caves. Quickly!” Princess Celestia panted as her remaining guard ponies guided the Canterlot citizens deep into the caves of the Canterhorn. “But Your Highness, what about you?” Asked Shining Armour, the captain of Celestia's Day Guard and Princess Cadence's groom-to be. “I don't have time to explain Captain Armour.” Celestia bit her lip as she heard the sound of loud rumbling to the west of Canterlot. 'Voidras will find us soon. I must buy them time to escape.' Another rumble to the east made itself known. “Go! Get my subjects to safety!” Once the last of the ponies were inside the cave Celestia telekinetically sent Shining, Cadence and the last few guards after them. “Forgive me.” She charged her horn with solar magic. “Princess Celestia! You can't-!” Shining's retort was cut off as Celestia blasted the mountain side and caused a rock slide to cover the entrance to the cave. The Princess closed her eyes and waited. One step. Two. Three. Four. Five... “And where have your precioussss ponies gone, Alicorn?” Celestia gazed forward into the blood-red eyes of her age old adversary. She felt a shiver of terror grip her like a vice as the giant form of Voidras towered over her. “That's none of your concern creature.” She hissed in anticipation. “Oh? That's too bad, we were looking forward to them becoming a part of Us.” Voidras grinned cruelly showing its razor-sharp teeth. “Without Our failed Seed by your sssside, you can't possibly stop Us from taking you as one of Us.” It sighed loudly. “I have just one question for you, Voidras.” “Do you now?” It gave her a curious look. Celestia braced herself, asking what this abomination did to her student was at the forefront of her mind. But she knew she didn't need to ask, this time it was personal. “...Do you know what happens when a star dies?” She asked. Voidras frowned slightly, then continued smiling. “No, what does happen Alicorn?” Celestia steadied her breath as she raised her horn skyward. With her magic, Celestia banished the clouds away and forced her Sun to reach its apex in the sky. 'I hope She doesn't cause too much damage.' Reaching deep within her soul Celestia found her, and waited as she felt the temperature around body rising. “It goes SUPERNOVA!!” Screaming at the top of her lungs, Celestia's mane and tail burst into flames, her crown melted into molten gold then reformed into a new one. This crown had two large golden dragon-like horns sitting just behind Celestia's ears, where there was once one purple jewel sat five new ones encircling her brow. Golden chain-like beads wrapped around her neck followed by a new peytral embedded with five more purple gems. Four golden hoof cuffs solidified around her hooves, inlaid with even more jewels. Voidras drew back slightly at the sight of the fiery alicorn. “So you've given into your own darknesssss.” It laughed silently. Celestia opened her eyes slowly-which were now slitted like a dragon's-a small fire glowing behind her pupils. “I am Nightmare Star.” The eldrich horror's eyes widened with glee. “You hold none of Our power, but you hold within you a Nightmare. Interesting.” The newly christened Nightmare Star curled her lips in disgust. “Do not mock me beast! I am nothing like that false Nightmare you created within my sister!” Her horn lit with fiery wrath and unleashed a very powerful blast of super-heated plasma upon the dark Eternal. Voidras raised an arm to block the beam, which the plasma cut through like butter. The beam obliterated half of Voidras' face upon contact which caused it to let out a blood curdling roar. Nightmare Star flew overhead with her horn wreathed with flames, her mouth curled in hatred. “You will pay for your insolence! Turning both my dear sister and my favoured student into your playthings!! This day will be your last!! Under MY flaming star!!” Tendrils of all sizes rose into the air as Voidras' head and arms vanished into its formless body. “Harming Us will cosssst you more than your ssssoul! We shall enjoy wrenching your power away and using it to burn your body into ash!!” The mass lashed at her with its tendrils. Nightmare Star nimbly avoided the tendrils as they reached for her. “Child's play.” She charged her horn again than unleashed another beam of plasma. Darkness surrounded the nightmarish alicorn on all sides as her beam failed to hit the creature. “Tch.” She quickly teleported away from the mass of Voidras. Magic gathered around her horn as the glowed even brighter causing the air around Canterlot to grow hotter. Voidras' head reappeared from the mass grinning. “Try again.” It felt its limbs and movements becoming slower as it attempted to move. A large red magic circle below Voidras' form burst into existence. “What's this?” Red strands gripped at its flowing body. Balls of plasma fired from Nightmare Star's horn striking Voidras. “How's this monster?” The eldrich horror continued to smile. 'Why is it still grinning!?' She growled internally. Voidras delighted in the solar alicorn's expression of anger and utter hatred. “Such darknessssss...” It purred. It raised its right arm and swung it at Nightmare Star. The alicorn raised a shield but it shattered on impact with the crystalline arm, sending her into the roof of a nearby house with a painful thud. Energy gathered in Voidras' maw, once done it sent a sphere of darkness directly to where the mare landed. The explosion decimated the building much to Voidras' excitement. A laugh erupted from above it where Nightmare Star hovered with her own grin. “Is that all you have? Ventus Solaris!” Waves of super-heated energy burned into Voidras' limbs. Voidras snapped out of its bonds and bull rushed Nightmare into another house which in turn burst into flames soon after. Nightmare Star minimized most of the damage with a quick teleport. “Voidras is getting stronger? How?” A claw reached for her out from the burning wreckage. “Damn!” Summoning a lance made of solar fire, Nightmare launched it straight into Voidras' arm with all her might. Unfortunately, the weapon was deflected by a stray tendril as more moved in to grab her. “No!” Voidras rose up to its supposed full height and leveled a glare at the solar princess. Opening its maw, it it dangled Nightmare Star over its head planning to swallow her whole. “Good attempt, but time's up for you Celestia. We are starving due to being trapped below for several millennia, you and your Alicorn soul will do nicely.” Nightmare Star struggled within Voidras' grasp, angry at herself for failing once again to stop it for good. 'I can't fall here!' Her horn flared angrily as her magic began to turn the city of Canterlot into a burning inferno. 'I can't lose to this thing!' She let out a desperate scream. “So pitiful, Equine. You and your sister are the last Alicorns in existence, devouring you will be a pleasure.” Before Nightmare Star could break free Voidras lunged forward and ate her as she screamed once more. “TWILIGHT!” Voidras let out a silent laugh as the sun dimmed and the temperature lowered drastically. “Sssso delicioussss.” It hissed in delight. “Now who's next?” As the sky darkened Luna cried in despair as she held a large pale lavender mare in her hooves. “My sister-” She sniffled. “-has fallen...i-it can't be.” More tears came to her eyes. “How did this all happen? That monster was never that strong before, Twilight!” She buried her muzzle into the warm of the pony before her. “I don't know Luna.” Twilight cringed internally as her base emotions were muted by Voidras' powerful magic. “Celestia was a strong mare at heart.” “Why do you talk as if you don't care about my sister's demise!?” Luna screamed at her. “She was your mentor!” Twilight looked away. “Was my mentor, Luna. She's not anymore.” She said in a emotionless voice. “Twilight Sparkle! How could you say that!” Luna tightened her grip around the pony as she bawled her eyes out. “M-my sister is...is...is...” She shut her eyes tight as despair and grief took over. “...I will not let Celestia die in vain Luna.” The Mare of the Void vowed as she stepped outside and left Luna to her own devices. The Lunar Princess opened her eyes as Twilight left and gazed down at pale mare in her arms. “Voidras is a monster that spreads darkness like a plague. It has taken away my only sister, corrupted my first real friend in over a thousand years and has harmed my dear daughter.” Her horn lit up in anger as her glamour faded away revealing her midnight black coat and draconic eyes. “It will pay dearly for this! Together my daughter, Silent Dusk. Voidras will be burn in Tartarus!!” Luna yelled as the pony in her hooves awoke into the waking world.
Chapter 5: Silent DuskSomething has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
