Equestria's newest and quite possibly oldest god
Finally some time off to relax. NOPE!
Low amber light came tumbling into the room from the small fire in the grate before Twilight and her companion. The shade set a pleasantly contented atmosphere over the room and set its inhabitants at ease. It played past the two, twinkling off the glasses on the oak occasional table to the side of them. past that it fell dead against all the tightly filled cases of mostly unread books that lined the room of the small welcoming Canterlot living room. Twilight and Flash Sentry reclined on a three seater sofa that took up most of the floor space. Flash was sat normally with his back hooves on the thick brown carpet. His left hoof was draped over the mare next to him ,who was leaning into his side, and his right was laying lazily against the arm rest. Twilight was leaning back on the sofa and leaning against him with her hooves up by her side. "Celestia and Luna where so right about this holiday thing, today with you has been fantastic Flash." Twilight spoke her mind in a quiet, calm and completely peaceful tone.
"They where indeed my dear Twilight, all my days with you are amazing but the fact we get to spend a week together and with all your friends along for the ride feel great." Twilight was glad they where both happy but then thought of something that seemed a bit off the Princess of Friendship.
"Sounds like heaven Flash but why don't you invite your friends to come and hang out with us, more the merrier as long as me and you are together." Twilight sounded hopeful about the concept for two reasons. The first being that she genuinely think that more company meant more fun and secondly she was so happy with Flash and was concerned that her friends where lonely without someone special in their lives. They knew some of them had had special some ponies in the past but still felt like they should try for a relationship and was faithful that if Flash was friends with someone they would be a fundamentally decent person.
Flash tensed, not in any way Twilight could perceive but still tensed. 'We cannot have her around other stallions, what is one tries to take her away.' Flash quickly searched his mind for some reason non of his small group of friends couldn't join them. "Afraid they are all on missions in the crystal empire." Flash held his breath to see if she would bite the lie. She had no reason to question it as Flash had, as far as she knew, no reason to lie.
Fortunately for flash she did and replied still sounding happy. "Oh that's a shame, oh well we still got each other and my friends." Twilight was slightly disappointed but did not let it stay in her mind, she had never needed any pony else to be happy bar flash when she was with him so did not doubt she would enjoy this week regardless of the absence of his friends. Thinking of the time they had shared before naturally made her happy so she leaned into him a bit further enjoying the warmth of the stallion she loved.
Relieved she had gone for the lie and happy he would not have any competition this week Flash inappreciably relaxed. feeling her snuggle into him he leant over and kissed her gently enjoying the company of the absolutely stunning mare that had chosen him. The kiss went on for a little while and got more and more heated with Flash sliding his tongue into Twilight's mouth and her eagerly greeting it with her own. Pressure and heat built between the two lovers until eventually Twilight pulled away. "How about me and you head upstairs and start this week off right?" Twilight's eyes where lidded with arousal and her voice husky with want.
Flash was about to enthusiastically greet the offer to go and re visit the bed both of them had lost their virginity to the other in however...
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
Some pony's hoof beat out three flat notes against the door. "Urg, I had better send them away first," Flash growled being broken out of Twilight's loving spell.
"Okay, I'll be waiting for you," Twilight's voice had not dropped any of it's arousal which spurred Flash on to get rid of whoever would come knocking this late so he trotted out the the room to the connected hall. He looked the little hall up and down. He was proud of his house, it wasn't a castle like Twilight's or even particularly big. It was however very personal to him, photos of him and friends lined the walls and he had tasteful art around, all of this revolved around a darker earthy colour scheme off set by the occasional splash of gold which twinkled by contrast in the light.
He didn't keep the door locked when he was in and awake so he simply opened the door and was surprised to see one of the lower guards. "Hello guards man, what do you need with me?" He addressed the man formally hoping he was recognised as a captain and given the measure of respect he found such a rank deserved.
"Sorry cap'in, nothing for you I have been sent by Celestia to retrieve Miss Sparkle." The guard's voice did not show the respect or adoration Flash was hoping for but such thoughts was quashed by the horrible idea of Twilight going of with this stallion. 'Finally I get her her all to my self... typical.' In truth Flash had not had much time to really spend with Twilight just them. It was a lull in her council duties after her fight with Starlight that had allowed their relationship to actually start but since then she had always been off dealing with something dotted all over Equestria.
"Erm sure... I will go get her." Losing his fire some what he walked back into the body of his house to retrieve Twilight. He was slightly angry that Celestia had seen fit to take Twilight off the holiday she had forced her to go on and cut into his time with her. After a short time he reached the lounge where in his opinion the most beautiful creature in all of Equestria was relaxing on his sofa. "Twilight... it's the Princess, she has asked for you and sent a guard over to collect you."
Twilight's ears snapped to attention at the mention of her ruler/ mentor. Flash cringed that Celestia ,or basically some pony bar him, was able to get the mare so excited but bottled it down knowing bringing it up would just cause a fight. "Oh okay, we had better head out then." Twilight was slightly confused that Celestia would summon her having essentially banished her to a holiday previously but decided she could question the mare herself if she failed to give a good reason to deny Twilight the time she was enjoying.
Flash was happy that Twilight had included him in her trip to see the Princess but that quickly evaporated when they reached the guardsman at the door who gave him a slightly nervous look before saying. "Sorry cap'in, Celestia told me to bring Twilight alone." Flash cringed internally. A direct order from Celestia was one of the few orders he couldn't get away with disobeying.
He shot the guardsman a dangerous, venomous look and spat "Fine, see you as soon as whatever the Princess wants is dealt with Twi." With that he headed back in and slammed the door behind him not even waiting for a reply from either of them. A few seconds of awkward silence passed and Twilight gave the slightly shell shocked looking guard a sympathetic look.
Twilight felt slightly bad that Flash had been excluded as she walked through the streets the short distance that separated the castle and Flash's house. When they got the the main gates she was surprised to see them slightly open and the lock that was supposed to me immune to all magic was partially destroyed on the ground. Twilight started to worry about what she was needed for and was glad the rest of the elements where on hand at the simple act of teleporting back and activating the map table. Past the gates their was a short walk to the doors to the grand hall of the castle which also housed the Throne room and throne plinth. Twilight was surprised when her escort stopped and said to her "Celestia asked me to stay outside and is waiting for you in the grand hall.
Setting of at a quick trot, wanting to resolve whatever issue may be troubling her Princes, twilight approached the door to the grand hall doors seeing them swing inwards revealing the room which now had a duelling strip from one of the longer walls to the other. Twilight looked forwards and saw to creatures locked in a magical battle. She realised with a growing concern that the creature on the offensive was Princess Celestia. Twilight rushed to the Sun Lord's side without hesitation. One she arrived she started to channel magic hoping to put a hole in the attacker who she finally looked to. She wasn't one to presume but still the basic idea's of the attacker she had created was shattered. He looked to be about a third Discord's hight and had the same body shape as the creatures Twilight had met in Equestria high. He wore black sabatons which lead up to red and black scale armour. This covered his entire lower body and his torso, above that a hood lingered like a shadow covering his face. Twilight couldn't take in much detail but could tell that his body was covered in blue fur and had the same hands as the creatures who's shape he also borrowed. He was using those hands to twirl a weapon which appeared to be an extended lance lance with two blades that became one at the point. As it spun through the air it sliced Celestia's magic away. As Twilight tried to observe that process she felt its eyes shift onto her and suddenly the lance hit the ground.
Some kind of force picked Twilight up and threw her backwards, she braced expecting a painful impact with the wall. Twilight's head was still reeling with the bizarre nature of the situation, 'Why would Celestia keep her guards out if their was a threat and why not bring me here by magic if it was this important.' With all this flying around the young Alicorn's mind she barely noticed that she had landed on a large blue cushion as opposed to a hard wall. She watched keenly as she lost the creatures attention back to Celestia who shot her an utterly confusing smile. As she let her guard slip for this one second the creature charged forwards vanishing into smoke before appearing onto of Celestia with his legs straddling her much like Spike often did to Twilight. He brought the lance around and pressed the blade to the throat of the Alicorn below him.
Twilight panicked as she tried to get up and defend the Princess and found that she was now bound to a cushion she hadn't even registered being on. She watched in horror as Celestia reacted to the blade against her neck but was surprised when she laughed. "Oh come on that is hardly fair Mortem." Her voice was completely void of any of the fear it should have carried when a powerful creature was pushing a blade to her throat but even still it caused Twilight to relax. A feeling that increased marginally when the creature dropped his lance making it disappear before hitting the ground.
The creature Celestia had called Mortem threw his arms around Celestia's neck and added sarcastic sweetness to his voice when he replied. "I suppose not, she did distract me first though." He turned his head to Twilight moving an arm to throw back his hood. "Cheers for that by the way, I fear we would have been at that all evening had you not throw tia off."
Twilight had been expecting a sinister threat that she and the other elements would have to risk life and tail to defeat in a grandiose battle that would be written in the annals of history for millennia. As a result of being thrown about, shocked and halfway through mental preparation on how best to rally her friends she was not quite mentally prepared for the creature she was readying to fight turning back into a smoke cloud and floating towards her at high speed. Twilight backed up slightly and rose to her feet finding the magic that kept her on the pillow was gone. She was about to teleport to Celestia's side and ask her what was going on and what needed to be done had the shadow's not re-solidified before her in a completely different outfit which much better showed the creature she was concerned with.
He was tall but not particularly bulky, his head came to about the same hight as Celestia's when he stood at full extension before Twilight. He wore some denim trousers, a pair of black work boot looking shoes and a white T-shirt which bore a picture of a sword and a shield. He had one of his long, thin and lightly muscled, blue fur-covered arms out with hand extended towards Twilight. For her part Twilight had perceived all of this whilst being completely distracted by her eyes meeting his suddenly. They where smaller than a ponies and better fitted the creature's face. 'His whole body seems to be a some-what rough lined version of those humans,' as Twilight mulled that prospect over she caught something in his eyes. It was like a flicker of heat, she could only relate it to the looks flash used with his bedroom voice. Forcing down her blush at that, she registered that he was smiling a warm and friendly smile. "Hello pony, sorry about the whole throwing you across the room thing. I hope you won't hold it against me." His voice was calm and did not hold any of the malice Twilight's other enemies did. 'Maybe he isn't harmful, after all Celestia is just watching and smiling.'
"Hello... human I suppose. Who are you and why did you attack Princess Celestia." Twilight hardened her voice as she continued finding to her confusion that it did not do so mechanically as it normally did with someone potentially dangerous. He let his hand fall with something that could be akin to disappointment disturbing his happy if charged smile.
"I wasn't attacking her, merely carrying on a long history of friendly duels. What's your name anyway? I don't want to call you Pony all night." Again his voice was unfaltering and confident without holding any ill-will or any other tell tale signs that would normally have Twilight readying for a fight.
"Indeed, although I still want a rematch due to the interruption. That is Twilight by the way, the grand student I was telling you about and sent for a little while ago." Celestia cut in as she saw Twilight was completely failing to reply and could see the gears grinding in her head leading to Mortem being a foe no doubt. "Sorry Twilight, I should have warned you we would be battling when you got here. I may not do it much these days but royal duels used to be quite the event in the past." Celestia ran over the memories of her previous battles with Mortem and a slight smile dared to appear on her visage.
Those words again left Twilight pondering just how old Celestia was, she knew she was supposedly a herald of the sun and was immortal but outside of Celestia telling her that she was extremely old and that the origins for her and her sisters that most ponies believed today was a fabrication. Twilight had absolutely nothing to go on for her age.
"Indeed, sorry if I worried you Twilight. I mean no harm to Equestria or Celestia for that matter." He started to walk back to Celestia as he spoke then suddenly his voice dropped an octave as he said the next part. "In fact from what I have heard that might be due to you in no small part." He levelled with Celestia who turned with him walking towards the throne and its stand.
For the umpteenth time this creature left Twilight completely stumped and now she realised he was most likely not a threat to Equestria she was growing frustrated with him. She started after him and Celestia at a brisk pace and fired up her mouth ready to interrogate. "What do you mean I am why you aren't here to threaten Equestria? Who are you? What are you doing here? What are you?"
As Mortem walked he felt his sagged his shoulders slightly as he was bombarded with questions from the sparky and cute alicorn. 'Hold on cute, where the fucking hell did that come from... Moving on.' He decided not to answer immediately wanting to take a seat by the throne plinth first. "Well aren't you curious, I am really not all that interesting. Nothing at all really." His voice dripped with sarcasm and mirth as he tried to rile the purple mare. Then his face fell, slightly frustrated as he realised he was doing it to see if she was even cuter when she was angry. He glanced around and shot her a irritating grin.
"That doesn't answer my questions... I still don't even know your name." Twilight was growing both more favourable and more infuriated by this strange Mortem creature as it seemed to take the word of Celestia and herself as something he could ignore. 'He is quite the smiling troublemaker isn't he.' Twilight was then racked off with her subordinate mind being ineffective so she spent some time mentally beating it as the creature continued to walk towards the throne platform finally taking a seat at the edge of the flat Luna occupied.
"Well you can have my name for what it is worth." He paused drawing a breath as he met the newly refocused eyes of a intense looking Twilight. 'Meh, confused it cuter.' 'Shut it for goodness sake brain!' "My name is Mortem Cruciatus Poena Infernum." Another pause as Twilight returned to her adorable if irritable confused state. "Doesn't mean anything to you does it. Didn't think it would. Did you really have to completely bury me Celestia? Must have taken some serious book forging." Twilight was now bothered greatly and looked to a somewhat shifty looking Celestia who met eyes with Mortem.
"Well we didn't part well did we, you did threaten to burn and entire village to the ground. That and I had only just... you know 'the moon.' I didn't want ponies to think Equestria was falling apart." Celestia said it with a diminished confidence which Twilight thought did not befit the perfect sun light ruler.
"I suppose so. Hey I didn't harm a hair on any of those ponies heads." His eyes rapidly flew from one side to the other as he continued. "Just gave them a little fright is all." His voice sounded unconvincing and Twilight again became concerned about just who was sat on Luna's place at the Throne. "Anyway back to the questions Twilight asked. Did Celestia ever tell you the Legend of the God of Death."
Twilight's jaw fell open. Celestia had once told her of a figure called that but she assumed it to be something of a bed time story or as a threat to add insensitive to learning combat magic. Twilight had never once considered that the dangerous unstable figure Celestia had figured would exist or be anywhere near this calm or even alive at this point. Celestia had told Twilight of a creature who was extremely powerful and lived for battle, she had also said he had died before Discord's imprisonment which was clearly a lie if this really was the Death God Celestia had been referring to. "Yes I know the legend but he died before Discord took over Equestria." She stated that as if it where fact which until now Twilight would have thought it was.
Mortem was quite surprised, given the heavy censorship already imposed, that his legend lived at all. in reality he had been expecting Twilight to have no knowledge of it what so ever. 'Celestia really seems to trust this Twilight.' Was his conclusion before he started to speak. "I suppose you did me something of a favour with the bloodier wars and the dragon thing but really! when Discord was imprisoned? I was more active if anything after that." Twilight's lust for knowledge was lit up somewhat by the idea of undiscovered history so she looked to Celestia.
"I'd say I did you more than, "something of a favour." The legacy you would have left without my help would end up with you having the same rejection problems Discord is currently facing." Twilight noticed Mortem almost flair into action at that. He sat completely upright and cast his eyes to Celestia.
"Wait Discord is free? Why didn't you tell me. I have a bone to pick with that Draconequus." Mortem suddenly was staring angrily at Celestia who looked slightly flustered by his sudden aggression. Twilight's head was spinning around and around. What bizarre set of events could have a creature appear, know Celestia personally and yet no have the smallest idea Discord was free. 'I though Celestia sent dignitaries everywhere after Discord's reformations. Surely the whole world noticed the situation with the suns when Tirek rose up and you cannot even begin to investigate that without seeing discord slated as a traitor.'
Whilst Twilight had been reeling from her complete lack of knowledge, which was a particularly disturbing situation for her. Celestia had broken the influence of Mortem's gaze and was locking eyes with him. "I know Discord may have had his flaws in the past but whilst you where away he has recently been reformed. He's as much a friend as Equestria as you where in the early years after his betrayal." Celestia paused before adopting a heavier tone and carrying on. "And far more so than you where when you left." Mortem noticeably flinched. Twilight's concern was really mounting again, whilst this Mortem character did not seem dangerous or even hostile what Celestia said was enough to have the young alicorn worried.
Whilst Twilight's mind churned away getting increasingly overloaded with scraps of information she couldn't do anything in particular with as she had yet to ask her bout of a million questions. Mortem's face fell hard from the irritation at Discord's mention to a self reflecting and hateful if completely wordless look. "The Mortem that threatened that village has as much chance of returning as Luna has of taking a vacation on the moon." It was Celestia's turn to look disheartened. "I am not here to cause harm to anyone, I wanted to come back and live in Equestria again." His voice had gained some of it's previous strength and had gained an almost beseeching level as if he was appealing to Celestia.
Celestia really felt terrible about what had happened that night. She knew she had no choice and it was by far the most merciful way to handle the situation but she still did not like it. She was about to voice as much and assure Mortem that if he was willing to atone she would allow him to stay in Equestria one again however Twilight cut in having finally stabilised her mental maelstrom. "Wait, what happened with Luna and that village? Who are you and how the hey are you old enough to have seen Discord imprisoned?." Twilight knew it was perfectly possible for creatures to be immortal, as she was herself and was looking into extending it to the other element bearers but she had no idea what this creature even was. "And what even are you?"
Mortem snapped his attention towards the source of the news that had pulled him from his building fears and guilt. Twilight had just asked him a barrage of questions and he had only really clocked on of them 'What even are you?' "I am the Lord of Hell." He let it ring out a bit as it would no doubt be something of a shocking thing for Twilight to hear. She opened her mouth and then closed it simply shooting a look asking for an elaboration. "I watch over all of hell, even the miserable patch, Tia uses as a jail. Well I suppose watch over is a poor term for it. I have the power to rule it and mostly ignore that power."
Twilight was once again mentally floored. This was happening so much since her arrival that her mental flank was getting bruised in equal parts for the falls and how painfully over extended this metaphor is getting. Sorry fourth wall and narrative consistency/ immersion. one day I might start to respect you. "You are what?... The Celestia of the underworld." Naturally that idea made Twilight somewhat fearful of what was before her. She was powerful and no doubt even Mortem couldn't stack up to the Elements of Harmony. Twilight however didn't have the other Elements with her if she needed them and suddenly realised she was stood before the ruler of hell.
Mortem chuckled lightly at the suggestion after a few second and pipped up somewhat. "A little bit like that I suppose. I don't however govern the place, it is left to its own devices. I just exploit it for immortality, power and until now a house." He considered what he had just said and then a thought occurred to him. "That is assuming no pony objects to me staying in the castle until I can find a place to re-build my old house." He looked to Celestia who was partially annoyed that he had given Twilight another unanswered question. she nodded idly humming an affirmation but going no further seeing her student about to launch into conversation once again.
"So I know you disappeared and that history was altered but what happened with Luna." Twilight asked desperately trying to group together all the facts in her head to build up an idea beyond that a very powerful magical creature was chilling out on the throne plinth of the most powerful empire in all of Equestria whilst she had no idea what he was doing there. She watched him as he received the question and felt her chest tighten as he flinched once again.
Mortem drew a long and shaky breath realising he couldn't hold back the tale any longer. 'No doubt this is part of the reason Tia wanted her here.' Finally releasing the lung-full he let his chest fall and then drew in a regular breath. "I think it would be best if I just showed you." He looked at Twilight expectantly whilst she simply looked back confused for a few seconds. Realising Twilight had no idea about memory sharing he chastised himself, 'why would she, I am one of the few that can use it and she clearly has now idea who I am.' Realising he would need to explain he wondered if she would even allow it. "I can share my memories with you, if you are okay with that of course." His eyes dropped somewhat uncomfortably as he finished off.
Twilight chewed the idea over in her head. On one hoof it would be extremely useful for getting the complete picture, on the other giving an unknown and possibly dangerous being with a questionable past was not often on Twilight's good idea list. 'Then again, if he is powerful enough to beat Celestia and you have no counter spell to mind, no doubt he could force it whenever he wanted yet he still asked.' That point rang true with the same part of Twilight's brain that approved of Discord and Starlight's reformation and her decision was made. "Please go ahead." He looked up to her and Twilight heard a whooshing noise from behind. She turned around to see the pillow from before gripped in a red aura flying towards her. As it drew close the magic dissipated causing it to decelerate and fall to the ground eventually stopping right behind the purple alicorn.
"You may want to sit, you won't have control of your real body when we are in the memory." Twilight sat obediently. "Read to begin?" He rose to his feet and extended his lance towards an unflinching Twilight. Pain exploded in her mind as the tip of the lance touched her horn and the whole world went black.
Slowly the pain faded and Twilight found herself floating in mid air with a slightly agonised looking Mortem a few feet away floating just as strangely as she was. "You okay?" They both asked at the same time followed by a quick somewhat uneasy "yeah" from both again. Silence reigned for a few seconds between the pare as Twilight got her bearings as realised she was floating above the castle of the Two Sisters, it had the Nightmare Moon fight damage but was not ramshackle like it was last time she was there. Finally she spotted through a hole in the roof a sobbing white mass on the floor. "Welcome to the night I left Equestria, you have spotted Celestia I see. No doubt I should be along soon enough." Mortem looked down with Twilight at the still crying Celestia just as an identical copy of him appeared next to her in a tower of flame.
"CELESTIA HAVE YOU SEEN LUNA? I THINK HER MADNESS HAS TAKEN HER." The slightly younger looking Mortem shouted sounding in complete melt down and panic.
The real Mortem had floated next to Twilight and as his clones voice died down he spoke softly to her in a low tone. "Please don't hate me for this Princess, you have to understand I was extremely close to Luna and she was, since Discord had been banished, the only pony I... well that I really cared about." She looked to him and found to her surprise that he looked regretful and had nothing of his semi-regular confidence.
Twilight was about to enquire what he meant when the clone on the ground spoke up again have snapped out of the reprieve the grounded and distraught Celestia had fettered him with. "Celestia... Are you okay?" He walked up to her slowly and she shrunk away from him, she didn't look afraid just as if she didn't want him near her.
Gingerly the Celestia pointed to the moon which was emblazoned with Nightmare Moon's influence. Twilight finally clocked when they where and started watching, dreading how memory Mortem would react. The Mortem in question tilted his head to the side in curiosity then looked up at the moon. He was completely still, then he started to shake slightly. Twilight had seen that reaction before and knew he was trying to contain fury. "Celestia, why is there now a face on the moon." He was clearly not after any answers as he had snapped his gaze away and had now spotted the Elements of Harmony which focused for the two spectators at the same moment.
"She... she lost control Mortem, I tried to reason with her but she wouldn't listen to me and she was going to throw Equestria into eternal night." Celestia's voice sounded weak and strained which Twilight could fully understand from the feeling she got whenever she had to reprimand Spike which always made her feel horrible.
Memory Mortem opened his mouth, closed it, opened it, closed it again. He shook his head his eyes starting to glow a worrying shade of red before raising a hand and speaking. "Destroy my world Tia... HA. Lets see how Equestria fairs, this will be worse than night." His voice was pretty much pure venom and Twilight was trying not the let this actions shape her interpretations of the still sorry looking, real Mortem beside her. Memory Mortem clicked his fingers and in an inverse of the pillar of flame was gone again. The picture froze for both spectators and the still present real Mortem sighed pitifully.
"Time for the really bad bit now." Twilight had no idea what he meant and was about to ask but the whole scene changed. She didn't recognise the place but it was quite obviously a village of some Description. Except the whole place was burning. "Discord would have been proud of this. I am so sorry, Princess Twilight." The real Mortem said her name but was not stood by her and was looking down a main road she couldn't see with her current position.
Twilight felt the same Tightening in her chest at the true repulsion and regret in the fire reflecting eyes which looked almost glazed in Mortem's observations. Slowly she made her way to his side and standing close to him turned to see what was happening, that could have caused such a look upon his face. Twilight was spoked and scared by what she saw, she had defended Equestria so many times that the sight was horrifying. She hadn't been able to here the screaming until she focused on the ponies it was coming from. People where all fleeing away from Memory Mortem who was floating in the town centre casting jets of fire in all directions. Twilight didn't even register the fact the building weren't being damaged. "I was hiding my pain the fear and anguish of innocent ponies. I was making it look like their world was coming to an end, it's disgusting isn't it?" She looked upon the real Mortem who was stood alongside her still and it was now completely obvious to her that he was lightly crying. A trail of the salty droplets ran down each side of his face which was speaking entirely independently of his mouth. His lips when idle where a drawn tight pare of slashes, dark hollows seemed to be forming on his cheeks and his eyes where sorrowful pools that Twilight was almost falling into. His red hair was lying down somewhat flat on his head and had nothing of the vibrancy she hadn't really appreciated until it had gone.
Twilight felt the tightness once more and could explain it this time. She felt sorry for Morten, even with the horrific act she was watching him preform and had no doubts he did preform. She could tell it wasn't the real him and felt for him. She had acted against her nature before and regretted it, she knew how much it hurt to see you own damage again from her time trying to fix her old neglected friendships. She was about to lean into him and try to reassure him but a voice from the other side of the fire storm caught her attention back to it. Regardless of the fact she didn't make contact she did feel the warmth which confused a non occupied mostly ignored part of her mind. Thanks to the shock factor wearing off she could now cast her eyes about properly, 'Wait those buildings aren't really burning,' realised her mind. "MORTEM WHAT ARE YOU DOING." Twilight recognised Celestia's angry and somewhat strained voice just as she flew through the storm emanating from Memory Mortem and rounding on him with her back the two completely undetectable observers. Suddenly the storm died down to just a shroud of flames around Memory Mortem who locked eyes with Celestia for a second before opening his mouth and imitating a guttural scream. As the noise blanketed the area Twilight was completely unaffected but both the real Mortem and Celestia flinched and backed up a few steps. Twilight finally did lean into him as a low moan of pain escaped him as the noise hit it's crescendo. "These are your people, Mortem. Equestria is your home." Celestia's voice was dangerous and the pained quality had hiked up thanks to the Explosion.
Memory Mortem had landed on the ground dispelling his aura of flames alongside all of the flames that where attacking the buildings nearby. "What does Equestria have left, Celestia?" His voice had dropped from the angry and only half controlled shouting that had come before, now it sounded crushed and defeated." Discord is a garden ornament, Luna is insane on the moon. Me and you could never coexist and rule this place. Goodbye Celestia" With that he raised his hand and Clicked it, vanishing into thin air. The whole scene froze bar the two spectators so as Mortem's arm fell back to his side apparently having mirrored his old self with the click. Twilight's eyes flew back up to him and as she watched him the scene around her destabilised and turned to darkness. Just as he too disappeared away Twilight lost conciousness.
Slowly, like rising out of an deep lake on a hot summers day, Twilight's mind resurfaced to the real world. She felt shaken, slightly nauseous and groggy but her mind had some greater clarity on Mortem and with that she felt somewhat satisfied. Her eyes slowly opened and she took in her situation, she had apparently fallen back down onto the pillow and could see Mortem looking slightly concerned right next to her. "Are you okay, Princess Twilight?" She looked up at him and then froze as she realised her true situation. Whilst her concious mind in the memory had been reserved about contact and had only leant against him. her subconscious hadn't been so modest and whilst Mortem was sat on the pillow next to her she appeared to have wrapped her hooves around his waste and dragged herself into his lap with her head resting on his knee. Twilight's eyes darted around the room and when she caught Celestia smirking at her. She peeled herself away.
She looked back to Mortem and replied speaking at a million miles a minuet. "YesthankyouMortem.Wasthatalllyousentformeforprincess?" She didn't brake eye contact with Mortem as she spoke and then felt even more conflicted and confused when a ghost of sadness registered at the loss of her contact in his eyes. This sadness then compounded itself within Twilight as Flash came into her mind.
"Yes Twilight that was all, we shall have to meet again at some point but for now you can return to your holiday with Flash if I overheard my guards correctly." Again Twilight was slightly embarrassed but not as much as she had been previously. She hurried of out of the door without so much of a glance to Mortem, the lock and all the other oddities of the day where completely forgotten as she pushed the image of that hug out of her head with great difficulty.
As she watched her student scraper out of the room Celestia had to giggle a bit which gained a slightly irked look from Mortem who seemed to have just pulled out of his purple princess based daze. "What? At least she wasn't running in fear." Celestia gave Mortem a knowing look who seemed to check himself and restore some peace.
Mortem finally sighed and replied. "I suppose so." He looked like he was going to continue but bottled it so Celestia gave him and expectant look. "I am sorry about all of that Celestia. I am glad to see things seem to be back to normal in Equestria. I regretted leaving within a day." Seemingly satisfied with that the sun Princess smiled at him and wandered towards the pillow. She sat alongside him and gave him a brief friendly nuzzle.
"It's good to have you back old friend." The seemed to Mortem to be the second most comforting thing in his entire life. Considering the first had just left in a hurry it was nice to have.