Chapters Peace through Harmony
Chapter 1
A young pony walked down the ash covered cobblestone street, his brown cloth cloak protecting him from the bitterness of the outside world.
The sky was painted a dark grey. It was like a mural dedicated to the crumbling world around him. There was no trace of the sun in the sky as it was covered by massive clouds, like gray blots etched onto the massive expanse. Buildings lay in tatters around him, stuck in an everlasting state of decay.
But the grimmest part of the scene was the skeletons of ponies that lay around him.
The skeletons were stuck in various poses, depicting the manner of their death. Some still had decaying bits of flesh hanging from their dirty bones. The air was tinged with the pungent smell of dead bodies, a smell that he was already accustomed to. Many of his brethren fell today. They fought for the blessing of eternal night, a night Equestria truly deserved.
He continued to walk down the bloody road, pushing the occasional corpse out of the way. Some of the corpses were still fresh. Many of them wore the trademark armor of the army of Celestia, a golden chest plate and helm. But other corpses wore a different armor, armor as black as the night sky with a cloak covering their faces. The cloak had the consistency of shadows. It was obviously the byproduct of enchantment.
The young colt took the whole gruesome scene in.
In these wretched times, it was too common a scene to see such a peaceful city ruined by the taint of blood. It was hard to imagine that this city, once called Hoofington, was the home of hundreds of ponies who were trying to live their lives in peace.
It was almost sad to see such a sight, it-
The colt shook his head, waking himself from his stupor. Now is not the time to dwell in such things. He had to focus on the task at hand.
He finally reached his destination, the village square. The square was decorated just like the streets. Hundreds upon hundreds of pony bodies lay limp on the harsh crimson floor.
At the center of the square stood a stallion who wore a cloak the color of shadows. It covered most of the features of his body, revealing only part of his hooves. The stallion stood there, gazing at the cloudy sky.
“Father, I am here.” The young colt pierced the still air with his words. It sliced the silence like a knife through cloth, disturbing the peace.
The stallion stood silent. He did not turn his head towards his visitor.
“Where are your manners to the dead my disciple? You disrespect the brave brethren who lost their lives today with such vigor.” The stallion snapped, his turquoise eyes piercing the endless expanse.
The young pony looked down, ashamed for his sin.
“I am sorry, I only deserve punishment for what I just did.” He said shamefully.
There was a period of silence as the young colt looked at the hooded figure before him.
“You are forgiven, rise and be grateful for the mercy of nightmare.” The older pony said in a low voice that rumbled like a roar of a dragon.
“Have you brought what is asked?” the stallion asked, now resting his eyes on the colt.
The colt flinched, seeing that the pupils of the stallion’s eyes were black slits. There was a moment of silence as the colt tried to compose himself. He was talking to a high official of the Republic. He had every reason to be nervous.
He shook his head, breaking from his trance.
“Y-yes, yes I have.” The young pony replied, now fumbling through his saddlebag that lay peacefully under his cloak. From the bag, he took out an old black box.
The box was the color of the night sky and was longer in width. “Pacem in tenebris” said the words written on the cover of the box in fancy silver calligraphy.
Suddenly, a purple aura enveloped the box, snatching it away and floating it towards the stallion. He smiled.
He slowly took out the cover, revealing the precious content that lay within.
Inside the box lay a knife. It had a silver blade and a golden hilt and was covered with numerous arcane symbols and gems.
The stallion gingerly took it out and held it before him. As he held it, a familiar chill ran down his spine. A dark aura started to engulf him, feeling like a cold embrace which enveloped his body with an unsurpassed coldness.
“Well done, you have successfully done your task my child. Nightmare is pleased with you. But one more task lay before you today. Will you accept?” the stallion said.
The pony flinched, realizing he was being talked to.
“It will be an honor father, name it, and it will be done.” The pony said with a low bow, his cloak almost touching the floor. The stallion smiled at the young colt. He seemed like a good and dedicated disciple. He would be more than happy to bestow such an honor on him.
“The last task is one of sacrifice. In order for this to work, the blade needs blood, the blade needs a soul for it to do its job. It demands a body.” He said, now smiling, approaching the colt with the blade in his telekinetic grip.
It took a while for the colt to realize where this was going. He slowly started to back off. A fearful look engulfed his face.
“Father, What are you-“ He gagged.
The stallion dug the blade into the colt’s throat, blood spewing in all directions. He gasped for breath as he gargled in his own blood, a look of horror etched across his face.
The blade was as cold as ice.
He could feel it in his neck, cutting every fiber and muscle the blade touched. He struggled a little bit, trying to pull away but the stallion held him in place with a maniacal grin. He felt himself getting weaker and weaker, his vision getting dimmer and dimmer as the world suddenly deteriorated around him.
Then, the body grew limp, now a cold and lifeless lump.
The stallion let out a smile of accomplishment and pulled the knife out of the corpse. The body dropped with a dull thud, becoming yet another body to the graveyard around him.
The stallion, now alone, closed his eyes and started the ritual. He floated the blade before him, its bloody blade shimmering with magic. As he started chanting, the blade started to glow, taking a life of its own. Suddenly, the blade turned as black as night and started glowing a faint purple. Black gas started floating up from the bodies around him, filling the space around him with a dark haze.
As the gas started to enter the blade, a maniacal laugh pierced the cloudy sky. Darkness has claimed yet another victim, and the colt that lost his life today won’t be its last.
Peace through Harmony
Chapter 2
“Come on! You can do it!”
“I’m trying, I’m trying!”
“You can do it! Just push a little harder!”
“I don’t think I can do this!”
“Yes you can, you just got to believe!”
“I can’t! I’m never going to be able to lift things in my life!”
“Nonsense! You’re doing it now!”
Equinox gasped in surprise. He was indeed lifting the stone ball that lay before him telekinetically, albeit just a few inches of the ground. He looked at his tutor, Morning Star. He gave an encouraging smile. His spectacles shined in the dim glow of the chandelier that hung overhead.
They were in a study of sorts. Numerous bookcases lined the walls which complimented the royal red carpets on the floor. Many books and trinkets inhabited the bookshelf, most of them relics from a time not too long ago. A large golden chandelier hung overhead. It was richly decorated with candles, glimmering like small stars in the sky. In front of a large window that overlooked most of the compound, a grand table stood with a complimentary chair with red cushions. Numerous gadgets and gizmos lay on the table, some Equinox couldn’t even name. A quill and parchment sat at the center of the table, ready to be used.
They stood at the middle of the circular room, directly under the chandelier. Equinox, a gray unicorn with a wild black mane, stood at the center, focusing all of his magical energy into the stone ball. His mentor, Morning Star, who was a blue unicorn with a well kept silver mane stood beside him, watching his student.
Equinox was a young colt, probably in his teens. He was old enough to have a cutie mark, which was a shooting star. His mentor was a little older and had a six sided star cutie mark. He had a pair of silver rimmed glasses on his snout which sparkled while he stared at his clipboard, writing down his observations in today’s session.
“Okay, can you lift it higher?” Morning Star asked, pushing back his mane which strayed a little too close to his eyes. Equinox didn’t hear his mentor, still concentrating on keeping the ball afloat. With all his might he concentrated, just to keep the ball three inches off the ground.
He tried lifting the ball a little higher, applying a little more effort. Sweat began to pour down his face as the ball lifted a few more millimeters, shaking wildly. He tried to lift it more, but it was too much to handle.
He collapsed, dropping the ball on the floor with a loud thud. He lay on the floor, exhausted. His teacher walked up to him, looking down with a smiling face.
“That was great work, your improving.” Morning Star said, helping his student up from the ground.
“What’s the use? The other colts and fillies in my class can probably fling that up in the sky by now. I’ve only managed to lift it up a few inches. I’m such a loser.” Equinox slumped, looking at the floor.
“Hey, just because you are not as magically gifted as your other classmates yet doesn’t mean you’re a loser.” Morning Star comforted, laying a hoof on his student shoulder. “Progress is progress Equinox, and you’re making a lot of it.” He let out a small smile.
“I still have no idea why they accepted me into this school anyway. Isn’t this a school for gifted unicorns?” Equinox pouted, now looking at his teacher’s chestnut colored eyes.
“The last time I remembered, you made quite a stir in your entrance exam. You were the subject of gossip for months!” Morning Star smiled, looking at his student sincerely.
“I highly doubt one magical outburst shows the potential of oneself.” Equinox frowned.
“Well, you successfully turned all the proctors into little foals and made a gigantic tree out of the test plant. Not to mention you shattered all the windows in the school, broke a hole in the roof and made all the flowers and trees in the garden bloom beautifully, even the ones that died a long time ago. You even cured all the people in the medical ward of their sicknesses. You have more talent than you think.” His mentor let out a grin. “Besides, why would I, the headmaster of the Princess Celestia’s school for gifted unicorns, take you as his private student if you had no talent?”
“Because you’re nuts?” Equinox looked at his mentor with a straight face. Morning Star smiled and gave a light chuckle. He knew his student well, always being quite the pessimist.
“So shall we retire for the day?” Morning Star asked, looking at the sundial behind his chair. Equinox gave a little nod and picked up his heavy saddlebag in the corner.
“We meet this upcoming Thursday, do we not?” Morning star reminded, storing away the stone ball that they used just a few minutes ago. Equinox gave another little nod, and continued to walk towards the big brass doors at the other side of the room.
“May Celestia protect you.” Morning Star settled himself behind his table, bidding farewell to his student.
“Celestia protect you to.” Equinox replied softly, shutting the door behind him.
He walked out into the courtyard, which lead to the entrance of the school. It was a chilly day in Canterlot, the sun was already setting in the horizon. The sky was blue and cloudless. The weather ponies outdone themselves today he thought to himself, enjoying the nice blue sky.
He reached the wrought iron gates that signified the entrance of the school. The gray walls were fairly clean, since the school was only established a few years ago.
In its first few years of existence, the school has acquired many great talented unicorns. He knew a unicorn that could fly with ease, floating himself up telekinetically. He often saw him flying around the corridors of the school, seeming to be having the time of his life. There was also another unicorn that could control the elements themselves, able to conjure fire and water with ease. She could make the earth shake or sprout beautiful plants at will. He wished he had some wonderful talent like they did. He wished he had something special that defined him, something that made him look like he had some talent in him. But those are all just dreams. He sighed.
Then he saw her. A beautiful charcoal black unicorn with a white and blue mane waved at him. He waved back and started to approach her.
“Took a little longer than usual, did you?” the filly said with a chuckle, meeting her friend. Equinox nodded, and together they walked towards the inner district of Canterlot.
He looked at his friend with a smile as she started to babble about Equestria-knows-what. She had a tendency to babble, but he didn’t mind. He actually found it a little cute. He closed his eyes for a bit as he remembered how they became friends in the first place.
He sat alone during lunch period, minding his own business. He didn’t have any friends so he had no one to talk to. Most of his classmates laughed and made fun of him for his utter lack of magical talent, so being friends with them was out of the question. He felt kind of sad but he could live.
So one day, during one of his lonely lunch periods, the young filly, who’s name is Rhapsody, approached him and started talking to him. She introduced herself in a perky manner and asked for his name. He was flustered a little bit because he wasn’t used to talking to fillies then. He was able to utter his name though, albeit softly. That was enough for Rhapsody though, as she continued to chatter throughout the period. She seemed content to just talk and talk and talk. It still makes him wonder where the bubbly filly got so many topics, but he learned overtime not to worry about it.
After that day, Rhapsody just sort of started hanging out with him. They spent lunch time together and they walked to and from school together, which was understandable because they lived so close. She became his closest and only friend, something he was happy for.
Rhapsody chattered about her day as they walked home. The unicorn never seemed to run out of breath, assaulting Equinox with a flurry of words. He played his usual part, asking the occasional question and voicing his opinions. As they walked down the rocky road, birds chirped in the distance as the sun set in the horizon. It was peaceful, even in the constant babbling of his filly friend. Canterlot was far away from the front lines for it was the capital of the Solar Empire. He let out another sigh.
For as long as he lived, Equestria has been in a state of war. The land was technically split into two sides, one side belonged to the Solar empire commanded by Princess Celestia. The other side was under the Lunar Republic, commanded by Nightmare Moon, formerly Princess Luna, Celestia’s younger sister. Canterlot is under Celestia’s power, being the grand capital and center of her regime.
No one knew where Nightmare Moon’s capital is. There are some reports that she lives in a castle that she built herself, raising it out of the ground with pure will power. They say her castle is made out of shadows, only appearing to the naked eye under a full moon. Others say that she lives underground, having a network of caverns all over Equestria. Some say the moon itself was her base of operations, speculating that she has built some weapon of mass destruction and was about to wipe Equestria off the face of the planet. Of course, this is all speculation. No one really knows where Nightmare Moon lives except for the ones highest in her ranks. It was a complete mystery which was waiting to be solved.
“What’s wrong, Noxy? You look sad. Well you always look sad but sadder than usual.” Rhapsody stopped her babbling, looking at her frowning friend with concern. Equinox looked up at his friend and shook his head.
“It’s okay. I’m fine.” Equinox pulled off the least convincing smile in the world.
“Come on! You can tell good ‘ol Rhapy anything! What’s on your nerves, or do I have to tickle you to death again?” Rhapsody let out a malicious smile. Equinox grinned back. He could always count on his friend to cheer him up.
He winced a little bit and started to hoof the ground. It was embarrassing, letting his friend see him in such a state. He was a little hesitant at first, but when he looked at her smiling face it gave him a little courage. He took a deep breath and started talking.
He told her how untalented he felt. He also told her that he was annoyed at how weak he was in magic, and that he didn’t feel like he deserved to be in such a prestigious school. Rhapsody listened and nodded slowly. When Equinox was done talking, she let out a warm smile and put a hoof around him comfortingly.
“You silly filly! My mom says you just gotta give it time! You think I got good with instruments without practicing?” She questioned, looking at Equinox with twinkling eyes.
“Rhapsody, your special talent is music. You’re the only exception to the practice makes perfect rule, which is why your cutie mark is a G clef.” Equinox smirked, looking at his friend.
“That’s not the point! You just gotta give it time Noxy! All your magical wonderfulness will show in time.” Rhapsody jabbed Equinox in the ribs, making him flinch.
“But what happens if it never comes? What happens if I disappoint everyone? What happens if I lose my scholarship? What happens if-“
Rhapsody stuck a hoof on his mouth, shushing him. “Don’t be such a pessimistic pessimist! You got to believe!”
When little things don’t go your way,
When things make you angry and make you neigh,
All you have to do is eat some hay,
And then everything will be okay!
“So you’re saying I should eat, and my problems should go away?” Equinox raised an eyebrow at his friend, who had a wide grin on her face.
“Nah, I thought a song would cheer you up! Did it?” Rhapsody looked at Equinox inquisitively, eager to see the results of her song.
“Yes, I guess it did a little.” Equinox let out a little chuckle, smiling his first sincere smile of the day.
Rhapsody grinned, happy that she was able to make her usually very serious friend smile.
By now, they have reached the deeper part of Canterlot. They walked down the usually clean streets. Many ponies walked by, some lugging carts behind them. Other’s carried saddlebags, walking to wherever their destination was. A papercolt was selling newspapers at the side “Newspapers! Newspapers! Get your fresh newspapers!” the papercolt hollered, raising piles of freshly written newspapers in the air.
The streets were lined with old buildings. Some were simple general shops, selling all sorts of commodities and peripherals that a pony might find useful. Others shops ranged from apothecaries, boutiques, bakeries, bookstores, and all the shops one might expect from a busy market district such as this.
Equinox read the signs that protruded from the buildings around him. Scribble’s quills and wells said one, Umbrell’s boutique said another. Badger’s Best Books and Tomes announced one of the signs. It was a long row of signs, most of them he already memorized by heart.
They reached the end of the street, coming to a large building. It was a brown building with a brown roof and was about two stories high. The style was reminiscent of a log cabin, even up to the log walls and roof. One could hear the chatter of ponies from inside, the sound of laughter and singing could be heard from beyond the door. Above the wooden door, a sign was etched in bold letters. Soprano’s house of song it announced proudly.
“Well, here’s my stop! See you tomorrow Noxy!” Rhapsody gave out a little wave and hugged her friend tightly. He blushed a little bit, enjoying the warmth of the hug. She detached herself slowly and opened the door to the building, disappearing inside.
When she was inside, he sighed. He felt much more depressed now that she was gone. After staying still for a while, he continued walking, now going towards his own home.
The door opened with a loud creak as Equinox stepped into his home. He closed the door behind him, setting his saddlebag on a small brown table that stood next to the door.
His house was a small bungalow which his father had bought. It was in the housing district of Canterlot, where most ponies went home every night to spend time with their family. The house was big enough, having the basic commodities such as a kitchen, a bedroom and of course, a bathroom. It had a few luxuries to, such as a small library and a study. It was a serviceable home after all, for he has been living here for quite a while.
He was mostly alone in the house. His father was a royal soldier of the Empire, and was often missing in the household. His mother passed away a few years ago.
He became sad thinking of his mother. It was hard to forget her. She was the greatest thing in Equinox’s young life, taking care of him since birth. She loved him and he loved her and back then, it was all that mattered to him.
He still remembers that day well, as much as he despised it. He remembered coming home one bright and cheerful day, a smile across his face. He shouted his mother’s name. She preferred to be called by her name instead of a title, which is one of the things he loved so much. When nopony answered him, he walked to the kitchen.
He remembers it so vividly. He saw his mother on the floor, a pool of crimson blood leaking out from her. The body was mangled and stabbed multiple times. A bloody blade lay on the floor next to her, its sharp blade shining in the sunlight.
A neighbor came by, checking what all the commotion was. A look of horror enveloped his face when he found Equinox in a fit of tears next to his mother’s mangled body.
It took Equinox a while to realize that he was crying. He wiped a tear from his face. It was long ago yet it felt like it happened yesterday. No one knew who killed her and why. It was a complete mystery. Suspecting it was some sort of assassin, he and his father moved here to Canterlot after the incident, so they could be watched and protected better. He’s been living here ever since.
Equinox let out one his trademark sighs and went to the kitchen to grab a bite. He wasn’t very hungry, but he needed comfort food. He suspected he would whip up something light for dinner, maybe just toast and jam or a daffodil sandwich.
He retrieved a loaf of bread from one of the many green cupboards and placed it on the table. He grabbed a knife and started to slice into the brown crusty bread, creating three thin slices. After stowing away the loaf of bread, he bit into one of the bland slices and chewed slowly.
He sat there, in total silence, chewing that slice of bread. This has been the routine everyday ever since his father left to fight in the war. He gets up, goes to school, goes home, eats, does work, and goes to bed. It’s the same boring routine every day, in all its monotony. He didn’t expect it to change any time soon.
After finishing his toast, he decided that he was going to go straight to bed. He didn’t have anything urgent to finish, so he should take the night off. He dragged his feet into the master’s bedroom. Ever since his dad left, he had the privilege of sleeping in his dad’s nice soft bed every night. He liked the bed and heard it cooing his name, trying to suck him into deep slumber, which he graciously accepted.
After reaching his bed, he tossed himself onto it, not even bothering to pull the covers over him. He was totally exhausted for some reason. Then again, he always felt exhausted.
He felt the world deteriorating around him. He let out a soft yawn, slowly closing his eyes and drifting into the realms of dreams.
He was frolicking through a lush green garden. He skipped in every step, enjoying the warm tickle of the flowers around him. He felt happy, happier than he has ever felt in his life.
He looked to his right. He saw his mother smiling at him softly, her gentle brown eyes looking into his. Beside her, his father sat. He was a muscular white unicorn who sat with an upright posture, a looming figure over his mother. He smiled at him, showing his white teeth. He smiled back.
He saw Rhapsody galloping towards him. One she was in range, she tackled him and kissed him softly. He closed his eyes as a warm sensation enveloped his body. He kissed back, putting a hoof on Rhapsody’s soft cheek.
He stood up and picked one of the many roses around him, handing it to Rhapsody. She smiled and accepted the token. She placed it under her nose and took a big whiff, now handing it to Equinox to smell.
He held it in his hooves and took a big whiff.
It smelt like…
Like…
Smoke?
Equinox woke up with a start. He sat upright and looked around. A grey haze stained the air. Was the house burning? He started to panic. He didn’t hear the sound of fire crackling.
At least, he thinks he didn’t.
He quickly ran out of the house. A look of horror enveloped his face as he observed the world around him.
It was a scene of complete anarchy.
While trying to muster up what was happening, a preposterous idea popped up in his head.
Was the city under attack? He asked himself, looking around. He shook his head vigorously.
Of course not! The city is too deep into Solar territory! That’s impossible! He assured himself, but something was about to prove him wrong.
Up in the sky, he saw them. He saw pegasi and black forms of gas rocketing toward the town. They hit the ground with a loud thud, the black forms of gas solidifying into unicorns. They were wearing armor as black as night with shadowy cloaks covering their faces. He looked in terror. He recognizes who these ponies are. These were the Children of Nighmare, soldiers from Nightmare Moon’s army.
Before they could spot him, he ran in the opposite direction, towards the market district. The only thought that ran through his mind was that of Rhapsody. She had to be okay. She just had to.
Upon reaching the market district, he found that it was similar to the housing district. Buildings were aflame as green fire erupted from them like tall towers.
He ducked as a ball of magical fire zoomed past him. Canterlot’s guards were fighting the Children of Nightmare on the street. He heard the sharp clang of metal upon metal and the swish of spells being cast. He saw a guard being roasted alive as his murderer laughed maniacally, only to be shot in the head with an arrow. In the clearness of the night sky, a battle erupted in the once peaceful streets of Canterlot, taking the lives of ponies in its wake.
Equinox ran up toward the end of the block, sincerely hoping that Rhapsody’s family was unharmed. He gasped in horror as he saw the inn where she lived in in a column of flames. He shook his head, not accepting that she was gone. She had to find her, or so help him he didn’t know what he was going to do.
Suddenly, he dodged an arrow that flew past him. He looked in the direction the arrow came from. His face was skewed in a look of horror when he saw what lay before him.
A Child of Nightmare stood before him, a shadowy cloak covering his eyes. He held a sword in his teeth and his wings were open. He saw that in the tips of the wings, sharp blades sat, gleaming with blood. Blood also dripped from the blade and the rest of his body, like he jumped into a pool of the crimson liquid.
The Child started to approach him slowly, blade in mouth. He backed up in fear. Was this how it was going to end, him becoming yet another victim to this senseless war? Was he going to die right here? If he was, he wasn’t going down without a fight.
Before he could do anything, a white blur shot down from the sky, landing on the Child. The Child gasped and a blade was plunged through the back of his throat, blood leaking through the deep laceration. The Child dropped on the floor, now devoid of life.
A white pegasus in golden armor appeared from behind the body. He was drenched in blood in the same manner of that of the Child that tried to kill Equinox. He had multiple scratches and seemed to be out of breath. Equinox looked at his savior, mouth agape. The pegausus looked at him.
“Are you alright? Are you hurt?” the pegasus asked, out of breath. Equinox could tell the pegasus was badly hurt, his legs were quivering from his weight.
“I’m okay, but you certainly aren’t. You need help.” Equinox said, looking at the guard worryingly.
“Nonsense, I’m… I’m-“ the guard collapsed on the floor. He dropped with a loud thud, his metal clanging on the stone road.
Equinox rushed toward his side and helped him up, putting the guard’s right arm over his shoulder.
“What are you doing?” the guard asked weakly, looking at Equinox with half-closed eyes.
“I’m returning the favor. Where do they tend to the injured?” Equinox asked, trying to keep calm.
“… It’s in the bakery across town, near the ramp that leads up to the castle.” The guard admitted, too weak to argue.
Equinox nodded, now walking with the guard slowly to the bakery. Before he did anything, he needs to help this guard get somewhere safe.
He just hoped Rhapsody was okay…
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.
“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.
“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.
