Peace Through Harmony

Peace through Harmony

Chapter 3

The great city of Canterlot shined like a bright green star under the moonlit sky.

Fire erupted from the buildings, burning everything the flames touched to a crisp. The flames were like the extended jaws of a hydra, crackling and glowing in a green mist, nipping at any pony that came too close. The cries of war erupted from the once peaceful streets, ponies fighting with their lives tethering in the balance.

Equinox and the guard hid in the shadows, dark forms lurking through the night air. He tried to remain unseen in the cold night, supporting most of the weight of the guard on his shoulders. He felt the hot breath of the guard as he tried to hold on to his life.

This guy needs medical treatment. Equinox looked at the bleeding guard. The guard looked back and gave a little smile, and then his head dropped in exhaustion.

Fast.

He quickened the pace, trying not to wake up the half asleep guard. Thankfully, the bakery was near so he wouldn’t have to walk any longer.

He hid in the shadows, trotting quickly from hiding point to hiding point. He looked around corners, seeing if the cost was clear. If it was, he dragged the guard through the war torn streets, carefully trying not to sound any hoofsteps. Dodging the occasional arrow and ball of fire, he scurried from location to location, all while supporting the guard.

At last the fruit of his efforts lay ahead of him. He saw a mostly intact bakery that stood at the other end of the street. The streets were more peaceful here, guards standing at patrol points around the bakery. Knowing that there were no visible Children around, he quickly raced into the bakery, guard in tow.

He walked into the bakery, now lugging the (hopefully) sleeping guard. The bakery seemed to have been made into a makeshift medical ward. Med kits lay open on the tables. Rolls of bandages sat on the floor as busy ponies rushed by, tending to patients that lay on makeshift beds. A lot of them seemed to be guards, for obvious reasons.

He looked into one corner. He saw white cloths with something under them, evident from the lump that seems to rise like a hill in a vast meadow of white. Many of the lumps were big but a tiny fraction of them were small, about the size of a young colt of filly.

One of the nurses took notice of Equinox and immediately trotted towards him, signaling other nurses to come bring a stretcher. They brought one towards him and gingerly put the guard on it, lifting him and brining him into the sea of patients.
Once he was safely being treated, the nurse let out a sigh.

“Thank you, that was a very big act of heroism you did there.” The nurse looked at him. She had a blue mane tied into a bun and a white coat. Her cutie mark was a red cross, probably meaning she’s well versed in the medical arts.

“My name is Nurse Blueheart.” She extended a hoof with a smile.

“Equinox. Nice to meet you.” He let out a small smile as he gladly accepted the invitation for a hoofshake.

“I want to thank you again for saving that poor soldier. He owes you his life.” Blueheart said, smile unwavering.

Equinox suddenly remembered why he ran into the market district in the first place.

“Have you seen a filly I’m looking for? She has a white and sky blue mane and a black coat. She also has purple eyes.” Equinox asked nervously, sincerely hoping she wasn’t one of the many in the sea of patients.

Blueheart put a hoof on her snout, now deep in thought. “Ah! Yes, yes I have!” She exclaimed as she imagined an imaginary candle pop up over her head.

“She came with her parents I think. I directed them to go up to the castle, which is where most of the escaping ponies were directed to.” She said in a matter-of-factly voice. “You should hurry up and get there to.”

Equinox sighed in relief. “Thank you.” He said in the most sincere voice he never knew he had. He let out a little smile and exited the bakery, now moving towards the great castle of Canterlot.

He walked through the dimly lit corridors of the castle. Dark shadows loomed by as a guards paced by, creating a creepy mural on the pure white walls. The walls were lit only by the dim lights of firefly lamps. Each lamp seemed to be crafted with great care as you could see each and every detail on the mini figure of Celestia that stood on top of it.

He was directed towards the royal throne room by the guards. He quickly trotted by rows upon rows of large stained glass windows, shafts of moonlight penetrating through them.

He reached his destination.

The big brass doors of the throne room were open wide, revealing a multitude of ponies. Large stained glass windows covered the walls, depicting several murals of the royal sisters. Ponies great and small filled the regal throne room as the sound of soft chit chat filled the air. He walked into the crowd, feeling a little claustrophobic the deeper he went.

He listened in on the chatter of the ponies around him. Most of them seemed as confused as him. They chattered lightly, trying to contemplate what was happening in their peaceful city. “…this is all just a dream, we THINK this is happening but it really ISN’T!” he heard one pony scream, now being shushed by her friend.

He pushed his way through the crowd, hoping that Rhapsody was somewhere here. He pierced through the crowd like a tugboat breaking through ice. He then stopped. He didn’t even know what a tugboat actually was. He shrugged and continued moving. He let out a sigh. But this time it was one of relief.

He recognized Rhapsody, standing close to her mother and father. Rhapsody looked at him, her purple eyes locked into his. There was a long period of silence as she processed what her eyes were seeing. After a while, a huge smile broke out of her face.

She ran up to him at full speed and tackled him, holding him in a tight embrace.

“OHCELESTIANOXYTHANKCELESTIAYOUROKAYIWASSOWORRIEDABOUTYOUITHOGUHTYOUWEREAGONER!” She said at an amazing speed, attacking him with a flurry of words. He felt tears drip down his back as she embraced him tightly. He returned his embrace, thankful the worst of his fears were abolished.

It took a while for her to let go. When she finally did, she looked into his eyes and smiled, wiping a tear from her face. He smiled back, this time with sincerity. They looked at each other, enjoying each other’s company. They would be still staring at each other if a well refined voice didn’t sound the air.

“Citizens of Canterlot! It is my honor to present you our royal princess, Princess Celestia!” He said in a braytish accent. All eyes were averted to the throne as an alicorn appeared in a bright flash of light. All the ponies gasped and they let out a low bow, paying homage to the white alicorn with a flowing pink mane. The princess smiled, staring at all her subjects.

“Citizens of Canterlot! I am here to bring grave news. Canterlot is under attack!” Celestia said fearfully

“No buck!” said someone in the crowd. Celestia chose to ignore it.

“The Children of Nightmare has somehow managed to sneak through our defenses and penetrate our ranks! This is not a good day for the Empire.” Celestia said, looking at the sea of ponies.

“Tell us something we don’t know!” the same voice cried out, only to be shushed by multiple other ponies.

Celestia waited a while before she went on. “There is no need to panic. The guards are patrolling the castle as we speak. I request we wait here until the situation outside diminishes.” She said, stomping a hoof down.

“…and that’s where you’re wrong, dear sister!” Suddenly, masses of black gas broke through the stained glass windows, shattering them into tiny colored bits. They hit the ground with a crash, solidifying into unicorns. They wore shadow black cloaks and wore masks over their eyes. Under the masks, you could see the twinkle of turquoise.

Clouds started to form near the roof. They swirled in circles, faster and faster until it was a black vortex. Lighting shot out and scorched the ground, sounding a mighty boom followed by a crack as it ruptured the ground. From the center of the vortex, a big ball of gas slammed into the ground in front of the stairs to the throne. The gas solidified into a black alicorn. Her mane seemed to be made out of the darkness of the night sky itself. She wore a blue helmet and chest plate, inscribed in them an insignia depicting the moon and the sky. Her turquoise dragon like eyes pierces the air like a blade through the night.

The room was silent for a while. It was as if time stood still for that moment, all the ponies taking in the spectacle that lay before them. Then, an evil cackle shook the night, coming from the black alicorn. She laughed maniacally, instilling fear in the hearts of every pony.

“Nightmare Moon…” Celestia said through her teeth, looking at her was-sister with a harsh stare.

“Ah sister, what a surprise! I see your still protecting the filthy peasants you call your little ponies.” Nightmare said, looking at the vast multitude of quivering ponies that filled the room.

There was a great period of silence as the two royal sisters stared at each other. Nighmare’s stare was one filled with hate and jealousy while her sister’s consisted of only sympathy.

“If you are going to take my throne today, I request that you spare my ponies. I will step down graciously.” Celestia said, her head held high.

Nightmare let out a maniacal laugh. “Silly sister! I don’t want your throne! I WANT YOUR LIFE!” Nightmare charged at her sister, conjuring a blade made out of magical energy.

Suddenly, war erupted in the room as the townsponies tried to flee in terror as the elite of the Children on Nightmare attacked. The guards in the room tried to fight back, but were subsequently blasted away by magical energy, making them burst into green flames. It was a complete sight of total anarchy as the ponies tried to escape, only to find that they were trapped in the room by a magical barrier. Screams rang throughout the night as the ponies were herded into a corner, effectively getting trapped.

At the throne, Nightmare Moon and Celestia clashed swords. Sparks filled the air as each impact vibrated the room. With every hit, Nightmare Moons rage grew, putting more and more strength with each swing. A look of sadness was sewn onto Celestia’s face, only blocking attacks and never fighting back.

“FIGHT BACK YOU COWARD!” Nightmare shouted, swinging the blade at Celestia.

“I will not fight back. We don’t have to do this.” Celestia said with a look of sadness as she tried to convince her sister. She was only met with another swing of the sword.

“I WILL NOT REST UNTIL I SEE BLOOD!” Nightmare shouted in a fit of rage.

Then the most brilliant idea struck her. She smiled maliciously. She knew the perfect way to get her sister to fight back. It was so brilliant she wanted to squeal in glee. She held back her laughter as she put her plan into action.

She stopped swinging her sword and stepped back. Celestia should have been surprised but she knew Nightmare. She had something planned.

“Very well then. If you don’t want to fight back, then I will not.” Nightmare said plainly, deteriorating her sword. Celestia just stared at her. She knew something nasty was going to happen.

“…Well, let’s see what the audience thinks!” She shouted. She pointed her hoof at a particular charcoal filly. “Her! Bring her here!”

Rhapsody gasped in surprise. Suddenly she was grabbed telekinetically and raised in the air.

“NOXY! HELP ME!” She screamed, trying to break free from the invisible grip. Equinox, suddenly realizing what was happening, tried to pull back Rhapsody but his attempt failed. He simply wasn’t strong enough.

“MY BABY!” a melodic voice screamed as the filly was forcibly pulled toward Nightmare. Nightmare smiled. She loved where this was going.

Rhapsody was placed beside Nightmare and was locked into place. As much as she struggled, she couldn’t move. It was as if her bones were frozen.

“What is your name, little one?” Nightmare hissed, looking at Rhapsody. Rhapsody tried to look away, but her skull was locked in place, making her stare into Nightmare’s turquoise eyes.

Rhapsody didn’t falter, standing tall. “Rhapsody.” She said in the calmest voice she could muster.

“That’s a very beautiful name. Why were you named as such?” Nightmare cooed. Her voice was light, almost bittersweet.

“I come from a musical family. My mom thought it was a good idea to name me that.” Rhapsody said, becoming more alert.

“Well it was, wasn’t it? Now tell me, if I could give you anything you want right now, what would it be?” Nightmare asked in the same bittersweet manner.

Rhapsody thought for a while. She closed her eyes, thinking for a good answer. She decided she’ll just be honest.

“…I want my peaceful city back. I want the lives of the ponies that lost their lives today. I want all this war to end, this meaningless war, to end so we may live in peace. I want everypony, you and Princess Celestia included, to be happy again. I heard great things from when Equestria was still a peaceful land, from when there was no war. I would like to experience that peace in my life. I want Equestria to be a happy place again.” Rhapsody smiled, proud of her answer.

Nightmare moon smiled. That was exactly what she wanted.

“Isn’t Rhapsody such a wonderful filly? She might grow up to be a leader someday. It would be a shame if something were to happen to her…” Nightmare’s smile turned into a sneer.

She walked up to Rhapsody slowly. Rhapsody tried to stand tall, looking at Nightmare in the eyes. She smiled, even in the face of danger. All Nightmare could think of was to rid that smile off her face, which she was about to do.

“You are blinded by the spirit of love and kindness. Let me help you with that!” Nightmares horns lit up, a grin etched on her face.

Suddenly, Rhapsody’s eyes lit up like great balls of fire. She screamed in intense pain as her eyes felt like exploding. Her screamed pierced the still night air, while a cackle ran through the night.

“SISTER! PLEASE STOP! YOU ARE HURTING HER!” Celestia pleaded, but Nightmare Moon kept going. Rhapsody continued to scream in pain as blood started seeping from her eye sockets.

Equinox just stared, both in shock and in anger. He was angry at himself for not being strong enough. He was angry at Nightmare for hurting Rhapsody. He had to do something!

Suddenly, a fire sparked within him. It was like a warm embrace that enveloped his body. It enveloped his mind and senses, making everything around him more defined. He felt an inner focus pushing him, pushing him to go forward.

Noxy… Help me…

Suddenly, his eyes glowed the purest white as he charged into the line of the Children of Nightmare. They tried to retaliate but were blasted out the windows by a wave of kinetic energy. He ran up to the throne where Nightmare Moon stood, who was now eying him with curiosity.

“Let her go!” He boomed in an unnatural voice. He was enveloped by a white aura, his horn glowing with power.
She stopped her torturing and looked at Equinox with an amused face. “Oh, how interesting. Who are you, her coltfriend?” she said with a bored expression.

“I command you to let her go!” he boomed even louder. His eyes glowed even more as more and more magic erupted from his horn.

“Oh really?” She said, now laughing.

“Make me.”

A wave of brilliant light emitted from Equinox. The light pierced the darkness like an arrow, covering every inch of dark with light. In the starry sky, the castle shined a brilliant white, showering the area around with light. Pulses emitted from its epicenter, making the floor shine with a beautiful radiance.

To everypony, the light felt like a warm embrace. The happiest of thoughts filled their minds as they reimagined joyful moments in their lives. As happiness engulfed them, a smile crept through their faces as they basked in the eternal glow of the unicorn colt.

Outside, all fighting has stopped. Ponies looked at the shining castle with wonder, also feeling the warm embrace of the light. As the Children of Nightmare fled in terror, the guards, injured or not, felt the warmness of the light, sparking happiness inside them. They to smiled.

From all around Canterlot, ponies felt the warm embrace of the light. They felt it in their minds and souls, calming their senses, rejuvenating them into peaceful minds that stood unified as one. As the Children of Nightmare fled, the ponies of Canterlot felt in complete harmony. They felt each other in the light, all enjoying the warm embrace. As the stars twinkled above them, they basked and embraced the light, spreading the feeling of happiness through the once more peaceful streets of Canterlot.

Back at the castle, the light started to diminish. The light became weaker and weaker, revealing the colt who was still standing tall. The colt stood unmoving, his mane swaying in the unseen wind.

Nightmare couldn’t believe her eyes. How could she, the great queen of the night, be beaten by such a young colt? He looked around mouth agape. She looked at her sister. She looked as surprised as her.

She dropped Rhapsody’s body with a thud. She looked around the room pensively. While everybody was still stunned, she took the moment to stretch her wings and fly out of the window into the starry night, disappearing like a shadow in the darkness.

The white glow completely diminished around Equinox. He was panting heavily.

He did it.

He saved Rhapsody. He proved to the town that he, in fact, had magical talent.

But why did he feel so empty?

He looked around, the world slowly deteriorating around him. He felt the touch of consciousness lose him slowly. He felt so tired, so very tired. He couldn’t sleep though, he had to check on Rhapso-

Before he could finish the thought, he collapsed on the floor out of pure exhaustion. He felt the world get dimmer and dimmer as he slowly fell to the hypnotic sound of sleep.