Broken Harmony

Discord was still inside that damn cave. It had been a week since the dream walk and he was still unable to exactly locate Nova. Every once in a while he would feel a surge of some sort of energy but was unable to trace it to a source. For their part, Celestia and Luna were trying to help the best they could. Celestia helped Discord to look for unbalanced power shifts but, with the amount of disharmony in the world right now it was harder than she could have imagined. Luna slept and watched the dream realm as much as she could. She had located a gate once in the past week but, to both her and Discord’s frustration it was barred shut. Even working together they were unable to open the gate to the dreamer inside. By the third attempt the gate shimmered and blinked out of existence. Nova had walled herself off from all contact. There was nothing they could do and Discord was becoming desperate.

Suddenly, he froze as time stopped. Celestia jumped running to her sister but,Luna had already woken. They all moved to the front of the cave in time to hear the snap of magic burst through the sky. Purple energy flowed through the sky in sharp streaks. Moans could be heard all around them, from the trees, the lakes, the earth, their world was screaming with the power searing across the sky.

Celestia turned to look at Discord who was staring up at the sky, she opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out. Suddenly as quick as it started there was a crash and all fell silent once more. The stillness was unnatural and Celestia shivered.

“Are you two ok?” she asked, still looking at Discord. He shook his head and flew up into the sky without a word to the sisters.

Luna nuzzled Celestia and slowly took to the sky waiting for her sister to follow. They both caught up to Discord and Luna moved to be beside him. “ We are here Discord. The three of us need to stick together or we will never survive what is happening to help anyone.”

He looked down at her and then back to where Celestia was tears streaming down her face. “ It was Nova …”
“ I know Discord, we both know this is connected to her but, you felt that the surge of power that we just had thrusted into the world, that is not something you can fight on your own. None of us can.”

Celestia flew over to Discord and made sure she was eye to eye with him, “ I am not sure if the three of us are strong enough to take on that type of power even together” she shivered, “but we need to know what that display was for.”

“ I’ll lead the way,” he said moving towards where the energy was the strongest.
“Wait Discord!” Luna looked at him, “we have to do this carefully. You can’t just run to her, if this is her power then we have to account for the fact that she may not want to be saved any longer.”

Celestia nodded, “This may not be about saving her if we have to banish her along with Grogar….”

“ It won’t come to that.”
“Discord you-
“Celestia, it will not come to that.” His energy crackled around him. He would save her; he had to rescue her, there was nothing else left for him if he lost her.

Luna flew ahead and turned to say “ I’m taking the lead, any of us could follow this energy. Celestia is right and you know so Discord. I am not going to watch you two fight about this when our world could be torn in two at any moment. If Nova is the enemy we will deal with it then but, for now we will still treat this as a rescue.” She turned back and flew towards the energy. Leaving Discord and Celestia in her wake. Quickly they caught up and made their way to the center of the energy.

As they approached they could see the colour of the sky change. They slowed their flight and landed inside a twisted version of the Everfree forest. The trees were warped and all pulled towards the center where a sickly purple light emitted.

“Slowly Discord” Luna walked to his side. He was sniffing the air around him, his own energy pulsing. He nodded towards the center of the forest.

They walked together through the dark forest. Every few moments something would move just out of their vision. It felt like death and the forest was still nothing moved, there was no sound besides their own walking. They had finally found where Grogar had been hiding.

The castle of the two sisters stood transformed into a dark nightmare. The shape had taken on a black twisted nightmarish appearance, it was full of black vines and wraths were seen flying around the towers. It was also encased in sickly purple light.

The sisters stopped at the edge of the forest and took in the sight with disgust. Breathing was hard being so close to that much death and chaos. Discord kept moving forward. Slowly he stood back on two legs and leaned forward to touch the light. It felt thick, cold and moist. It was also very solid.He sent a small amount of magic into the force field and watched as it travelled up and around making a dome shape. He looked behind him at the alicorns and nodded. They came running up to him.

Together all three sent a burst of energy towards the force field, their power was absorbed and then they heard the same sickening snap from before and watched as the power was shot back at them. Discord jumped in front of the princesses and deflected the blast. The force threw them all back to the ground at the edge of the clearing.

Discord looked up to make sure the girls were ok and both were slowly getting to their feet as he gathered his thoughts and stood. Then, from behind the wall he heard laughter. Cold and cruel, loud enough to get their attention. The three turned to face Grogar from behind the force field. Eyes glowing Discord flew and hit the force field with all his strength. Grogar watched with a slight curl on his lips.

“Bastard, I will destroy you.”
Grogar walked calmly up to the force field and said in an almost bored tone, “you will try but, you will fail.” He turned his back on Discord and walked a few paces back where he erected a throne. Sitting he addressed all of them.

“ I thought you would like a first hand view of the lessons and training we have been undergoing here. Save your energy, you will not break through this barrier. You should be thankful for I am protecting you, for when this barrier falls it will be your death.”

Suddenly the air shivered and the temperature lowered. Grogar chuckled darkly and made a sweeping motion towards the castle. “May I be the first to introduce you to Queen Nova.”

The door slowly opened and shadows seeped through pouring down the stairs and stretching across the ground to surround the throne. Grogar stood and walked to the back of the chair. They watched as the shadows by the stairs slowly took shape and an alicorn appeared gliding on top of the darkness. She walked proudly to the throne, blue hellfire connected with the ground at every step. She was simply put a personification of the castle behind her, a nightmare brought to life.

Discord watched her coming towards them with his breath held. He couldn’t feel anything other than the power from the barrier although he didn’t need to because she emitted power and magic. Celestia and Luna stood close to him he could feel their fear but, when he looked down they didn’t show any of it. They looked fierce and ready for whatever was going to happen next.

Nova had made it to Grogar and she stared at him waiting. He stepped back bowing. She continued to the throne and gracefully sat down like she had all the time in the world. She nodded and Grogar trotted up creating a second throne for himself to sit on. Nova watched and Discord noted that Grogar’s new throne was not as decorated as the one he had created for Nova. Something to think about if they were able to leave this place.

Celestia was the first to speak, “Nova are you safe, has he hurt you?”
“Queen.”

Celestia stopped, “ Nova?”
“You will address me as Queen or you will not address me at all.” Her voice was sharp and took on the darkness of the shadows that were swirling in and around her. She calmly looked down at them and her horn lit up suddenly Celestia was pinned to a tree ten feet behind them. Her wings were at odd angles wrapped around the trunk. She screamed. Nova laughed and released her. Luna made it and caught her sister as she fell to the ground.

“You broke her wings!” Luna screamed.
Nova tilted her head and replied “ at least it was not her neck.”

Luna looked down at her sister and back up “ what did you just say?”
Nova stood up and walked to the barrier and pushed energy into it until it was perfectly transparent. Discord stood his ground watching her. They could all suddenly feel her power. It pushed against them and Luna was brought to the ground by the weight of it. Celestia rolled her eyes towards Discord. He buckled but did not fall. He just stared at her. Saying nothing.

She stood in the middle of all her shadows and power flowing in and out of her. Her mane lifted from an invisible wind. She stared at Discord and looked over his shoulder at Luna then back directly into Discords eyes, “I said at least it wasn’t her neck.”

Discord nodded and walked back to the princesses. He kept his back to the barrier and used his own chaos magic to repair Celestia. She stood between Luna and Discord shaken but better. Discord slowly looked at Nova and said, “ believe me I won’t forget this.” He looked down at the girls and snapped his finger teleporting them back to their cave.

Breathing heavy Discord took in everything that had just happened. Celestia was laying on the floor beside a very protective Luna. She was pale and her mane had lost some of it’s luster but her eyes were clear and her breathing level.

“Are you ok Tia?” Discord touched her right wing carefully seeing her flinch slightly, “did the magic not heal everything, are you still in pain?”

She looked up at him, “no I’m fine it’s fine, my wings are healed thanks to you. I didn’t even think to guard against her … “

Luna nudged her, “ I don’t think any of us would have been able to guard against it. We couldn’t feel her magic through the force field she has around the castle. This wasn’t your fault. She needs to be stopped at all costs.” Luna placed her wing around Celestia, “ she confirmed what we all feared, she’s lost to us.”

Discord nodded slowly lost in his own thoughts, “so it would seem… but my dears, read between the lines.”

Celestia flattened her ears, “Discord.. she smashed me into a tree, broke my wings, she could have easily snapped me in half. Her power is immense.”

Luna nodded, “ she said it herself she could have broken her neck….
“Exactly.” Discord sat beside them, “ she could have broken her neck, she said it twice, at least it wasn’t her neck. What happens if this is a sign she’s trying to send while acting out a role. She held back on us.”

Celestia nuzzled into Discord’s side, resting her head on his shoulder. “ If I agree to listen you need to also agree to the possibility that this wasn’t her holding back and she’s just working up to being able to make the ultimate choice between life and death.”

He brought his head down to her mane and nodded, muffled she heard him say, “ I know Tia, I know but I’m just not willing to give up on her yet.” He lifted his head up and looked at Luna, “ two things stuck out to me besides the very obvious influx in power. Grogar may think he’s running the show but I think he may be in over his head.”

Luna nodded, “ he seemed less himself, like he was intimidated by Nova. His actions when Nova came out were different than anything I have noticed him act out before. Did you notice how he stood behind her as if he were second in command.”

“ Yes, he was acting almost subservient to her, I did notice that as well.” Celestia looked up at Discord, “is that what you are thinking that he’s afraid of the monster he’s created.”

Discord sighed, “ that is exactly what I am thinking. His throne was not equal to hers. He purposely made sure it was smaller and less decorative. He’s either seriously unnerved by her or he believes he can manipulate her into thinking she is doing this for herself when he believes he controls the strings. The problem is either way Grogar is not going to like what happens when she does decide she is done toying around. We can all agree that Nova’s powers are something none of us have felt.”

Discord gently moved Celestia’s head off of his shoulder as he stood up. He knew that this next part was going to be hard but they needed to know more about the situation at hand. “I’m going back there.”

Luna stood, “ not without us, Discord you promised.”
“ I understand.”

Luna felt Celestia stand beside her. “Sister?”
“Luna I’m not ready to go back. I’m drained, I’m bruised and I honestly don’t see what the three of us can do right now even if we were all together. Discord, please becareful. I want to stay together we’re stronger together and it’s also the safest choice but the one they will expect from us. We can’t give them anything that they can work ahead to beat us with. Luna can go into the dreamworld and see if she can find anything, maybe even from Grogar’s guard. I will watch her while she sleeps.”

Luna looked at both of them and said quietly, “ I don’t want to lose you, either of you. I feel like this is only going to lead to our destruction, but if this is the best we can work with right now I agree to the plan. Be safe Discord.”

“I will be back for you both. I just have to know more, I need to see her, to watch her and decide what is really happening.”

With that he slipped out of the cave and flew into the forest. The princesses both watched as he weaved in and out of the trees until he was out of site. Slowly they turned and made their way back into the cave.

He stopped and moved slowly through the trees. He did not want them to know he was near. Taking a deep breath he dropped his own shields and let himself access the deep magic that was within him. He felt the chaos spread throughout his body. The familiar power poured into his very soul. It felt so good to free everything and let all of him loose. He needed to become the Lord of Chaos and not just Discord if he wanted a chance to fight against all of this.

His full power frightened him although he didn’t fully understand that, he just knew when he was at full power he had hurt ponys and other races, he had created wars, famine and ruled selfishly. He had almost destroyed this land and he fed on the chaotic destruction he made.It gave him a rush of energy, of power that was like no other. He was not the hero but, more the villain than ever. This was the magic he had tucked away when Celestia had given him back his full powers. He feared becoming who he was but, to beat Grogar he had to access it all. All the power and all the memories that came with it. To save Nova, he would go back into his own personal hell, he just hoped this time he could come back out.

He silenced his powers, swallowed them into his core and shrunk down to the size of a squirrel. He stayed in the tree tops and made his way to the castle. The dome of energy glowed it’s sickly purple light. He could see movement as he approached and once he was at the edge of the clearing he found a spot to hide and observe what was happening behind the force field.

Grogar stood side by side with Nova. His red eyes glowed as he became engulfed in red energy. Slowly as if being pulled a small skinny pony was dragged over to stand in front of them. Grogar looked at the pony like it was an insect, with revulsion. The pony shook and looked from Grogar to Nova afraid.

“Nova, take his life force. Feed yourself my queen. Suck his soul from his body and make him part of our army.”

She smiled darkly, “need you even ask Grogar.”
The pony cried out as Nova used the shadows that swirled around her feet to cover him fully. Discord felt the energy being ripped away and then heard the sound of the pony crashing to the ground. He stared at the midnight glow surrounding Nova’s body; she slowly brought it into herself and laughed.

“He will make an excellent member of our army,” and with that she fired a bolt of dark magic into the corpse. Slowly Discord watched it twitch and then start to move. There was nothing left of the pony, this was another shell that they could use to fight.

Grogar nodded, “wonderfully done my queen. You have come into true self. There is nothing that will stop you from reaching your goals, our goals.”

Nova watched Grogar as he walked around the animated corpse. Discord took note that she observed him like he had the poor pony, like a bug that was disgusting. As fast as the look came over her face she had put her mask back on and was looking neutral when Grogar reached her.

She quietly said, “ leave me now Grogar. I have my own business to attend to.”
He looked at her with his red glowing eyes, “excuse me?” He raised a hoof and kicked her hard. She crumpled to the ground and he stood over her. “ I am not ordered around Nova.”

She glared at him and before he had time to react she had thrown him into the castle wall with her magic. “ I said LEAVE ME NOW Grogar.”

Standing she walked with the regality of a queen to stand above him. He came up in flash and had headbutted her to the chest. She fell and did not get back up. Sucking in air, her chest was on fire. He then kicked her in the ribs and sent a shock of power through the air at her. She quickly shielded and rolled over coughing.

“ You will not order me Queen Nova.” He trotted to her and sneered into her face as she wheezed. Remember young one, that you belong to me. Your powers, I can easily lock them back up. You grow bold, it's time you remember your place. With that he brought his full weight down on Nova’s back leg and there was a deafening snap. She screamed as he laughed.

“Now, I will, what did you ask for oh, that’s right, leave you be.” With one more snide look he walked back to the castle and barred the door.

She let out a scream, it tore through Discord's heart. The pain and sorrow that one sound showed was nothing he had ever heard. He watched as she glowed and brought her horn down to her leg to heal it. There was a flash and then she was standing shaking off the dirt from her coat. She walked over to her zombie pony and lowered her horn. “ I am so sorry dear one, please rest and walk no more.” She touched her horn to his nose and the pony fell to the ground silent and still.

“ At least now you won’t have your body used for this madness.” Levitating the pony she made a small hole in the barrier and stepped outside of the dome. Discord watched as she went to the back corner where some small blue flowers bloomed. She took the body and encased it in light the same colour as the flowers. Shimmering the body disappeared into the light and on ground below was another blue flower. Nova lowered her head and whispered “rest now poor soul.” Tears fell onto the flowers as she remembered his fear. She also remembered how it felt to feed on that force. It was so temptingly strong the urge to just give in and be the dark queen. Her heart skipped a beat and she shook her head violently at the thought. She hated Grogar too much to become him.

She turned her head and flattened her ears, something was coming out from the woods. Her horn lit up with the strange blue fire, smoke poured from her nostrils. Her eyes became the same blue flames. She reared up and shot magic out across the field. The shield came up about ten paces from her. It cracked and shattered under her magic and there he was.

“Discord” she turned to the dome and looked beyond to the castle. Carefully she sifted out her power to see if she could feel Grogar. He was lower down in one of the sub levels most likely with his guard. For now, he was still ignoring her. She turned back to face him and was surprised at how close he was. Her eyes narrowed and she took a step back.

His heart broke watching her reaction. He wanted to grab her and teleport away, leave this and run but, she had thrown a shield up around herself that he wasn’t sure he could break.

“Nova, come with me.”
“I can’t. Discord, I can’t leave Grogar.” She looked back at the castle and took another step back towards the dome. “You can not interfere, you have to leave.”

“Interfere? Nova I’m here to get you away from here. You cried, I watched you. I saw what happened. You are putting them to rest, you're saving them.”

She stepped forward and pushed him back with her magic, “ saved them? I killed them! I ripped the souls from their bodies. All of those flowers were ponys Discord! My garden of the dead. Look at my creation Discord, you have no clue who you are trying to save!” She transported herself back into the dome and sealed it.

Discord ran to the dome and threw himself on it. It was solid enough to hold him. He slammed his hand down and watched helplessly as Nova stood on the other side. “This isn’t you Nova. Please, don’t pick death over life.”

She stood tall, only her eyes showed any emotion. “ I don’t have a choice. This plan has to happen. I can’t leave, I have to follow through with … everything.”

“Nova, we can figure this out. Just step back through the barrier and let me take you away from here. I can protect you, together we can stop this.”

She walked up to the barrier and said, “no Discord you can’t protect me any more and you can’t stop what’s going to happen. Now, leave so you can live to fight another day. Don’t make me hurt you.” Her eyes shifted back to the blue flames, her mane blowing in the wind her power created.

He stepped back as he watched her paw the ground. “ Listen to me and hear me clearly, the gate that has been locked will open and the full power of our army will flood out. We will drown you with our undead. You will wish you had listened when I barred you from my dream world. What I said then holds true now. When the sun goes dark next, you all will feel our fury.”

He nodded and transported away without another word. Nova gathered her shadows around herself and slowly sunk into them drifting into the castle through the crack in the door. She solidified in her bedroom where she sunk to her bed and cried. Once the moon rose for the final time she would be free from all of this one way or the other.

Celestia felt him enter the cave, it was shortly before dawn. She needed to raise the sun soon and had been listening to the energy of Equestria. His energy crept ahead of him which surprised her. She had forgotten just how powerful he really was. It had taken everything her and Luna had possessed to beat him in the first fight. She hoped now all three of them would be enough.

Moving to the front of the cave she sat beside him. He never turned to look at her just stay still, intently watching the colour of dawn spreading through the sky. He felt her power flare and fall.

“The sun is coming up without you isn’t it.” He glanced at her and back at the sky, “ the end of days and you don’t even get the joy of raising your sun.”

“Did you see Nova? What did she say to you?”
He smiled darkly and his own power flared up, “ I saw her and Celestia, she is terrifyingly powerful, but she's also not the enemy. She believes she is though. I think she believes it’s too late to stop the coming storm.”

He stepped out of the cave and turned to face her. “ Wake Luna. We need to speak on what is about to happen.”

Discord moved letting his magic stretch out inside of him. He felt it uncoil and react to the energy in the world. His hair stood on end and his power crackled out of his claws. He heard a small gasp from the cave entrance and floated back to the princesses.

Luna stared at him, not quite meeting his eyes. “ I had almost forgotten your force Lord of Chaos.” Her tone was slightly tinged with something that sounded like distrust. It felt good to see the confusion on both their faces. He shook himself and quickly swallowed the energy back into his center.

“ Never forget who I am my dear. I certainly can not,” he chuckled darkly.
“We have no time for this though, I need to tell you what I saw. Grogar is growing desperate. I believe the show of power was plainly a trap. He wanted to see where we were and show his hand. He certainly did that.”

Celestia touched him, “what did you see?”
“Death. He had her training when I showed up. He pulled a pony out for her and let’s just say she has learned much about death magic.” He shuddered remembering how she screamed when Grogar left her. “There’s more to it though. Once her and Grogar fought and he left her. She healed and gave the body true rest. She transmuted the pony into a flower. I believe she gave his soul back. She didn’t feed on it like I believe Grogar thinks.”

Luna started to pace back and forth. “You said she did kill though? She killed a pony in the same tormented way Grogar did. How can you not see her as the enemy Discord, who’s side are you on?”

Celestia jumped, “ Luna..”
“No Tia, it’s a fair question. Luna I spoke to her. I watched her transform the pony and saw the tears.”

Luna stopped walking, “you talked to her?”
“ Yes, she gave us a warning. He’s planning on attacking tonight. The next time the sun disappears she said we would face the army of the dead. She talked about not being able to leave because the plan that was in motion had to be followed through and to listen to what she said in her dream world.”

Luna looked up at him, “and what did she say Discord.”
He took a breath and paused for a moment, “she said what she did she always did for love and to please trust her.”

“Do you trust her Discord? After everything you have seen her do, is she giving you a message of trust or betrayal?” Celestia walked to her sister and stood beside her. “You know her better than Luna and I, Discord do you really believe she is not planning to destroy everything?”

“The question is my dear Celestia, do you trust me? You sent me through to another world to find the shattered souls of my dearest friends. I was alone for years searching for any sign of the one thing that kept me sane. I spent years looking in a world that was not my own. Hiding in plain sight not being able to fully use any of my powers. You trusted me then, to find the elements and help piece them back together. To weaponize them and bring them back in the vessel they had created.

I found them! I found more than I ever thought was possible. I almost wept at the feeling of Equsterian magic Celestia. Then, it became more than that. She became real to me. Still, I did as was commanded of me. I brought her back here. I let you pour more magic into her and make her so incredibly powerful. I then watched as she was taken away and lost to me. Everything I have worked for I have done for this Celestia.”

He turned his back to them and ran his paw through his mane, “I ask you again, do you still trust me? After all of this do you trust my judgement?”

He turned back around and watched the two alicorns waiting.

It was Luna first, she bowed and looked up at him. “Yes. I trust you Discord. If you believe that she is to be trusted then I believe you.”

Celestia nodded her head in agreement, “so what is your plan then?”
Discord looked up at the sky as the sun started to slip behind a black shadow. The girls both lit their horns up with magic.

“It’s time,” Discord said, throwing power into both of his hands. The three of them turned to face the woods as the last of the day light seeped away.

The shadows poured out of the woods ahead of the army of the dead. Discord quickly created a barrier around them. They watched as the dead came out of the forest and lined the edge with their animated bodies. There was no sound except for their own breath. The shadows darkened and rose up from the ground creating a doorway.

Grogar walked out from the door with Nova behind him. He was in full battle armour, his red eyes glowing through the helm he wore. Nova was dressed in shadows, you couldn’t see where she began and the shadows ended. On her head was an onyx crown.

“Boo.” Grogar laughed at the three behind their shield. “ Do you really think that display of magic will stop us? This is the end for you all, why shield at all?”

Nova stepped forward and walked to the edge of the shield. She stared at them and said “ remember me?” Bringing her horn down she cut through the shield as if it were butter. The dead shifted behind her and marched towards them.

Grogar watched and made his way to the back of the army making himself his throne to sit on.

Discord gathered his power with Luna and Celestia and shot a bolt out at Nova. She dodged and screamed, shooting a power blast through Discord’s shield breaking it completely and replacing it with blue light. Celestia brought her power into a ball ready to strike when Discord touched her shoulder shaking his head. Nova had flown into the sky above the army and watched as the first corpse reached the blue light.

Suddenly in a flare of power the blue light danced between all of the dead and within seconds there was a field of tiny blue flowers swaying in the wind all the energy created.

“NO!” Grogar screeched leaping from his thorne charging through the flowers firing shot after shot of dark magic towards Nova. “ What have you done! You bitch! I will destroy you for this!” He shot a thick black energy cloud at her and it struck. Nova fell into the flowers like a stone.

Discord was moving before she had even hit the ground and caught her. He flung out an energy blast knocking Grogar back. Celestia and Luna came flying in from either side and sent their own energy blasts at him. He turned his attention to the alicorns.

Discord looked down, “Nova my dear Nova,”
Her breath shook but she pushed him from her. Her horn lit with the dark blue magic and she shifted into shadows and was gone.

He watched the shadows travel across the ground and flew after her. He let his full chaos energy free and watched as it mixed into the shadow streaking across the ground. Grogar looked up in time to see Nova leap into her pony form the shadows and chaotic lightning following her into the sky. She looked down at him and sneered. “ You have forgotten what it feels like to be afraid Grogar, let me remind you.” She shot towards him and sent a bolt of energy in front of her. It hit him in the chest he screamed and she landed pinning him to the ground.

“ You will never be able to undo what I have done here Nova, this world is now filled with death. You are filled with death Nova. You came from death and all you can do now is create death. Even if you destroy me now, you will never be rid of me for your immortal life. I will always be the monster unleashed inside of you.”

Discord walked up beside her watching her taking deep breaths. “ You know nothing of my power Grogar. Do you not understand why I stayed kidnapped and beaten,because I could have left you at any time. I wanted this power not for death but, for creation.”

She brought her horn down and he screamed as she poured shadows into his eyes. He started to smoke and she didn’t stop. His screams became louder and more urgent then, as the skin slowly peeled away from his bones he stopped. He was dead. She stood and calmly stomped on his skull crushing it to dust.

Discord reached for her and she whipped her head around “don’t touch me!” She threw a barrier around herself and the pile of dust at her hoolves. Celestia and Luna landed and stood on either side of Discord.

“ I’m sorry, I have to finish this. I was created for this purpose. Discord remember what I have done, what is about to happen I do because I love you. I love this world and the lives that were taken from it. I can bring it back … “ The dust of Grogar started to swirl around her as she lifted herself into the air. “ I can bring it all back. I can bring life where there was death and restore the balance to this land. I will bring them all back.”

Discord shook his head “ Nova, wait!” He flew up hitting the barrier even in the sky, “dammit let me in, Nova stop!”

She looked at him and smiled a small sad smile. “Say hello to Fluttershy for me ok?”
He hit the barrier as her body lit up pure white and suddenly exploded in a fury of light. Discord was thrown to the ground with the blast. Lifting up he saw the rain start to fall but it fell in beams of light.

All over the field of blue flowers ponys became real again, the light would drop on a flower and a pony would become solid and alive. He watched the sky and saw the swirling lights form six colours and slowly regaining shape they floated to the ground.

Twilight, Rarity, Apple Jack , Pinkie, Rainbow and his dearest Fluttershy lay on the ground. Celestia and Luna ran to them, tears streaming down both of their faces. Nova had saved Equestria and all who lived inside it. There was another flash and ponys were transformed to their homes. Away from the forest away from everything that had happened.

Everyone was gone, except for the six ponys who were still in the field with Luna and Celestia slowly waking up. Celestia turned to Discord and motioned for him to come to them. He walked over to them in time to watch a pair of teal blue eyes blink open and focus on him.

“Discord?” Fluttershy blinked and looked up at him. He looked the same but also very different than before all of this. He grabbed her and held her tightly to him.

“Oh my dearest Fluttershy how I have missed you.” He watched the others waking and how Celestia and Luna greeted them all. He let Fluttershy go so she could be part of the group. Twilight turned and pulled him into the hug.

“Discord I am so sorry for everything you have sacrificed” she turned and looked at him. He wasn’t the same although she doubted any of them were ever going to be the same, not after going through this.

“I am so happy you’re all back. Please believe me,” he looked at Fluttershy, “I just need some time with Grogar gone and Equestria alive and well. I … have to….”

Fluttershy hugged him tears falling onto his fur, “I am so sorry Discord, I am so so sorry.”
Discord held her and cried, “she said to say hello.” With that he broke and wept as everyone gathered and held him. With the final tear sliding down onto the ground a flower grew as they watched. Stepping back the flower began to hum with energy shining from within.

Rarity sighed “it’s beautiful….”
Discord reached out and touched it, the flower trembled and opened to the sky sending a bright white light towards the heavens. They all watched in amazement as a shape formed and began to slowly drift towards the ground like a feather, it was still wrapped in light but becoming more solid the closer it came to the ground.

Discord jumped and flew to the figure wrapping her in his arms. Bringing her down he carried her to the cave and gently placed her on the ground. He looked down at the sleeping figure of another draquonious. Celestia was beside him suddenly catching her breath. She looked down and carefully touched the sleeping figure with her horn. She smiled and looked back at Discord.

“It’s Nova.”