Chapters Author's Note
Welcome to a start of a whole universe of my own creation. I present to you the start of it all. Enjoy and comment please.
The Start
As the sun rose the sky turned a crimson pink, soft rays bleeding through the clouds overhead. The moon sat low in the sky opposite as it was almost time for it to disappear beyond the horizon. Both spheres of power supply hanging there as they awaiting a bit of extra push to start the day.
There was a humble house resting atop a hill that overlooked the Everfree on one side and the open fields that would one day become Ponyville on the other. There were already a few settler rising this early as chores needed care for. Ancient ancestors of the Apples were already settled and planning where to put their first trees.
One pony looked up towards the house on the hill as there was a echoing sound of giggles coming down. It brought a smile to everyone's faces as they knew what was happening.
A rough timber house stood there, being fifty feet long and having a large upper loft filled with separate rooms. But downstairs was an open layout with a massive hearth in the center.
A light azure filly squeed happily as she ran around the soft glowing embers. Her mane was a soft black with a streak of teal weaving through the middle. The same for her tail. Her giggles echoed off the walls as she fluttered her little wings and ducked under the table to escape from her purser.
The one chasing her was a mare with a slender from, soft curves to her body. An easy five feet at the shoulder as she leapt over the table and smiled happily. Her own giggles filling the air as she spread her soft emerald wings before landing and running after her daughter.
“Come here you. It's time to go to bed.” The mare called as she tried to cut off the filly by running in front of her and standing with legs spread wide. Thought that was not the best way as the filly ran right under her mom, the small horn she had tickling the belly above her before she dove into a pile of furs.
“Neva! I am Wuna queen of the night!” She giggled and dove deep into the pile to hide.
After a moment the mare smiled before sitting down before the pile. “But queen, the sun wants to have its turn and if you don't put the moon down, how will ponies know when it is time to go inside to hide from the monsters when the moon comes up again?” Her voice was soft as she lowered her head to peer into a small hole in the pile, seeing a soft teal eye blink back at her.
“Would the nice ponies who bring us sweets get hurt?” There was a note of fear in her voice as Luna slowly crawled out to sit before the muzzle and set her hooves on the nose.
“I don't know. Though there would be a high chance of it.”
“Oh well then." Her voice was soft as she sat down on her flanks and hugged the muzzle. "I will put the moon down and go to sleep for them."
Chrysalis smiled as she rose up and kissed her little filly's forehead before standing up. "I'll help you, by giving you a little extra love power." Her horn glowed softly among her black mane, lifting Luna up and o to her own head as she stepped outside.
Luna giggled softly as she hugged her mom's head, wings fluttering as she looked towards the moon. Her horn began to glow a soft azure like her coat before her eyes became pools of light. It was difficult but a soft pink glow joined her as the moon soon sank down on the horizon.
A yawn sounded from above her head as Chrysalis slowly walked back inside, feeling her daughter slide down into her back to curl up. Both wigs moved to stabilize her exhausted little one. Soon she was cresting the steps to the loft before walking into a room of complete darkness, the walls painted with yellow dots to symbolize the stars above. A small magical white orb glowered softly as it rose into the air to act as the moon. There was a small crib which Chryaalis lifted and set Luna into, leaning down to kiss her horn before wrapping a blanket around her. Soon she closed the door as she walked towards the second room.
The door opened smoothly to reveal a room filled with white walls, and a blazing orange ball by the ceiling. A small white filly sleeping soundly on a bed. A rainbow mane spread out over the pillow and a stolen plate of cake crumbs laying beside the bed. A frown crossed Chrysalis's lips as she lifted a brush from the dresser nearby. Stepping over several stacks of books and naps she stood before the bed and rolled Celestia onto her stomach.
The brush raised high into the air before smacking down on the bare rump, sending the filly screaming as she jumped out of bed. Her hooves rubbing her flanks as she stared back at her mother.
"Mother what was that for?"
"That was for eating the care I was saving for your sister's birthday."
Celestia folded her ears back as she looked at the plate of crumbs. "I'm sorry I didn't know..." Chrysalis sighed as she licked a good before wiping off a bit of icing off of Celestia's cheek.
"It will be fine, we will just have to make another one for her today. Now are you ready for your morning chore?" A smile crossed her lips as she dipped her head and set Celestia on her back before walking back downstairs.
"I certainly am! I was looking over notes I made about the sun last night. I think I can do it in my own today!" The white filly spread her wigs and glided down to the ground before puffibg out her chest. Her horn glowing a golden light before her eyes followed suit.
Chrysalis smiled and watched silently as she laid on her stomach and folded her hooves. It was interesting the different between her daughters, day and night certainly. Celestia always wanted to be perfect and have order, even if it cost her fun or enjoyment. While Luna was mischievous and liked to play instead of doing anything responsible.
Though her eyes turned up to the sun, watching as it began to edge up towards the sky before the magic around her daughters horn cut away. There was exhausted breaths as she leaned over and kissed her pooped filly's cheek. "Simply wonderful Tia. I always love seeing you raise the sun in your own."
A motherly smile made those white heels turn crimson as she looks down and kicked a hoof around bashfully. "Aww thank you mommy."
Chrysalis smiled as she stood up and started walking down the dirt path towards the small gaggle of huts below. "Welcome hun, now go inside while I go for the goods for the cake."
Celestial watched as her mom walked down the hill to run her 'errands'. She usually did this every afternoon and came back smelling like some of the ponies they had met earlier that day. The filly didn't understand what was happening but she knew it was time to put her plan into action. Carefully she crept up the steps towards her sister's room, silently opening the door with a spell. The filly sleeping soundly inside her crib as she flapped her wings a little in her dream.
It disgusted Celestia how much her mother fawned over this little beast she called a sister. Almost every moment her mom would brag about how big she was getting, how strong her magic was for her age. The stupid girl couldn't even lift the sun in her own. Celestia believed she was the clear superior and was going to prove it. Her mom didn't know it but she had began tapping into all kinds of magic, and found a certain branch that would do just the trick. Her eyes glazed over as a green light filled the room, fire surrounded her horn as it sent a small arc between her horn and her sister's head. It sank inside, turning the dream into a nightmare, twisting around the happy dream of flying with their mother into the worst dream imaginable.
It was of their mother slowly walking after her, dark eyes glaring at the filly as she ran away. Knives scraped and sparked against the floor and carved deep gourges into the wood. Flayed bodies hung everywhere, each of a different filly or pony around the town.
Celestia was in control of it but didn't know what to do as it shocked her what she was seeing.
Luna screamed for help as she turned a corner and came to a dead stop. Her heart raced, pulse elevated as she turned around and tried powering up her horn. "Mommy please stop this! I'm a good filly. I'm your little ball of fun!"
Celestia was about to call the whole spell off but that settled her anger as something dark took over. She focused and began amping up the dream as their nightmare mother roubded the corner. Blood dripping from her mouth as she was chewing on the dead corpse of Celestia. Luna screamed as she tried during off a shot of magic, only to watch in horror as Chrysalis used Celestial's body to block the shot. Blood and gore splattering everywhere as the small body exploded from the strength of the magic blast.
Luna screamed and cried as she watched her mom slowly stalk towards her, blades twirling slowly. "I always hated you, your sister was more tolerable so I gave her a quick death. But you will die slow and alone, knowing I never even loved or wanted you."
The dream ended as a knife hilt smacked down on Luna's forhead.
The pattern repeated every day, Celestia sometimes going with her mom to be friendly with the ponies below. But she also began sneaking out at night, implanting nightmares of the night to scare ponies away from going outside to see the moon.
Chrysalis kept trying to get ponies to come out but couldn't manage as the nightmares engulfed them.
Till finally one day a mob of ponies gathered at the base of the hill. Torches and farm tools spread amongst them all before they began walking towards the house atop the hill. Celestia was watching from her window, an evil green glint in her eyes as a tendril of magic slipped out to enahce the torches with a hint of green. Eyes glazing over as the ponies began to run faster towards the house.
The largest was a bulky stallion who rammed his shoulder straight into the door. Downstairs the door shook and dust fell from the rafters as Luna, who was curled in the pile of furs like usual was reading a book. She usually did that every night, avoiding her mom even.
Chrysalis felt confused as she slowly walked over to the door and opened it slowly, looking out at the mob. The anger and hatred rolling off them in waves so hard that she was knocked back. That was enoughof a window for the mov to rush forward, Celestia having moved to the stairway as the magic started affecting Luna as well.
Luna watched from her pile that her mother let the mob inside, pointig towards the pile as they were already yelling her name. The big stallion who burst down the door stalked towards the furs before shoving a hoof inside. A dark blue rushedboutside of it as it sank down into the shadows cast by the torches. A survival instict had kicked in as the blur hopped from shadow to shadow before escaping into the night.
Chrysalis broke down ibto tears as she saw the ponies rabsackig her home, throwing her outside and forcing Celestia there as well before blocking all windows and the door, soon their family home was up in flames as Celestia stared into the fire expecting her sister to have died inside the flames.
A strange calm came over her as she turned to her mom, tears streaming down her cheeks. After a moment the green fire left the insides of her eyes before she walked over and rubbed up against her mom's side. A wing struggling to wrap around her back as it could only reach the spine. Chrysalis looked down, sniffling as tears blurred her vision. She didn't know what had happened, but she knew she had a another daughter to protect. So as the crowd dispute she lifted Celestia onto her back before taking off into the air.
A single shadow form stood atop a different hill, hidden from view of anyone as it dripped pure tendrils of shadows of itself. Luna was trapped, unable to talk or interact with the real world... There was nothing she could do, but she she felt a soft hand on her shoulder. After a quick look at the eagle paw she jumped into her dad's arms. Both soon disappearing.
It had been several years since Celestia had lost her sister. Chrysalis spent nights locked away mourning her still. It irked the princess of the sun to no end that the pain in her side still troubled her. Although with how ponies were afraid of the night thanks to her magic and began worshipping her like a true goddess. Although her mom was still more respected and loved more. It wasn't fun to sit I. The shadow of her mother but it was something she had to deal with.
One day Celestia was was tending to matters away from her mother, teaching ponies the proper way to maintain Harmony and Order. A simple set of rules set by here, any pony who didn't follow would eventually be visited by her in the middle of the night. Over the years her magic granted from Tartarus was stronger and finely tuned. It allowed her complete control over somepiny depending on how long they were affected by the nightmares. When the pony was about to break she was able to completely take over their mind.
After a long day out she returned to the small castle her maw there and her were given by ponies a few generations ago. It wasn't anything of granduer but the towers were intimidating and stone strong. There wasn't a happy vibe from it at all, though Celestia didn't mind at all. It was in the center of Everfree and served as a place for her to live. Though she removed her mother spending a lot of time in the gorge down below the castle before finally settling into a room most of the time.
The only time anypony saw Chrysalis was when someone came to the castle in dire need. She would then quickly show her love for all things and do anything she could for the petitioner. Celestia usually just told the pony to go somewhere special and wait for her. It had been this way for hundreds of years.
Softly she pushed open the giant doors, walking inside before ordering around as there seemed to be a commotion. Two cloaked figures stood before her mother, their faces hidden from view by their scowls.
Chrysalis wore a frown as she looked out towards the two. "Tell me what you want from me. You asked for an audience a simple hour before I am to go to mourn the lost and provide the world with the night. Now explain why you say I cannot do that as I please."
"It would be better if you let us explain and your guards left." One of the figures said.
Celestia snorted in rage, her eyes glowing gold as she teleported beside her mother, a good stomping in anger. Her voice being amplified by a spell she used to address crowds. "HOW DARE YOU COMMAND THE QUEEN OF WHAT SHE CAN AND CAN'T DO. WHO ARE YOU TO DO SUCH!"
The pair looked at one another before the left one nodding and stepping back. After a moment a soft gentle voice spoke from the one remaining before Celestia and Chrysalis. Both queen and princess looked at one another before looking at this strange being. After a moment a soft azure light filled the throne room as the cloak blew off, revealing a regal mare standing a bit smaller than Celestia herself. Teal eyes looked at the two before smiling as her wings billowed out, lowering her head to show off her horn.
"Dear sister it is my job to run the night."
Celestia just stared for a moment before shakingly pointing a hoof towards Luna. "B-but you died that night..."
Chrysalis was shocked into silence, tears streaming down her cheeks as she thought this was some sort of cruel illusion created by an evil being to torment her.
Luna saw their reactions and sighed softly, walking up towards them before giving their mother a soft kiss on the cheek. "I escaped that night and was found by a stranger who was willing to raise me until they saw fit for me to return. Well this is when I am returning to both of you."
Celestia was pale, almost sick to her stomach. Internally rage filled her mind as she struggled to maintain her composure. This was the worst thing that could ever happen, her sister had returned... Right when she was about to suggest that their mother step down and allow her to rule the lands so she could spend her time secluded somewhere. How could this possibly have happened.
Chrysalis was the opposite as she sobbed heavily, lunging forward and burying her face into Luna's shoulder, wailing as she gained part of her soul back.
"Dear mother..." Luna smiled as she wrapped a wing around Chrysalis, nuzzling into her as she started to tear up. "Oh Tia...." She had looked up to invite her sister to join, but she didn't see her at all anymore.
Celestia stalked down the hallway, cursing the world as she went towards the dungeon. There was always a fresh supply of prisoners to play her magic on. The stones were roughly hewn from the ground itself, spiraling down until she entered the caves. Each cell blocked off with iron bars, holding a single prisoner in each one.
No guards were needed as she kept them all in line, today was not a normal day of reinforcement. No today was for stress relief. So ash she walked down the hallway, several of the inmates cringed and crawled away to the darkest corners of their cells.
The older prisoners were completely under her control. Magic seeped into them so strongly that they no longer had minds of their own. She walked up to the cell of a griffon, in prison for crimes against Pony kind, who had to lived there for twelve years. A mind so broken that not even Discord would find it funny. A chuckle escaped his beak as Celestia opened the door to the cell. Though all that did was enrage her even more.
A scottish brouge filled the air as the Griffin began to talk, or mumble is Celestia saw it. "Haha haha haha, I guess yar sister is back. Or else ya wouldn't come see lil ole me. Must rub ya awfully wrong to do that. What with how ya tried to kill her when you were younger, by having a mob ransack and burn your house. Would be a shame if yar mom found out. Now what can this old griffin do for ya? Not like ya visit me that much anymore. Oh I remember all the fun times we used to have, when ya would bring me ponies just to torture for yar pleasure. Maybe ya want to open up the Gladiator Arena again, or how about ya put yar sister down here with all of us or we'll have a right good old-time. Or ya may just want to get rid of that evil demon inside yar head finally, but why would ya do that ya're having too much fun with it. Ya know that controling the brains of innocent people isn't that hard to do especially when ya have the powers of Tartarus inside of ya. Now why don't ya sit down and confess yar sins to yar father, oh wait ya don't know who that is. Oh well just confess to yar local priest. Oh wait ya don't have any of those either. Now who can ya confined into. Oh I know me!"
Bright neon green light filled the air as Celestia had transformed. Gone was the majestic mane and tail, green tendrils were in their place as they wrapped around each other to form long braids. Her horn looked gnarled and misshapen, a growth formed along the shaft. Her skin had blackened and cracked, warts and fissures appearing in it as the corruption oozed from spots to hiss and fizzle on the floor.
"Oooh dat dere is the mare I know. Or monster." The griffon clapped his claws together and smirked towards the monster before him. "Lassy ya do an ole griffon proud sometimes. Now confess to me yar sins, ya she beast from the nether world."
Celestia glared at him before spittig a glob of corruption towards him, it smacked right onbhis chest but didn't do a damn thing. She blinked and raised a brow before looking at the spit. "What.."
"Oi hooves off prissy!" He smacked the good away before sitting on his haunches. "Ya really think that after a decade I'd not build up a tolerance to yer corruption ." He smirked at her, chuckling under his breath. "Now sit yar arse down and talk."
Celestia didn't know what to do save for sitting on her haunches as she glared at the griffin. "Why are you so accurate with your statements. My sister is indeed back and with how I was about to take over... I'm not sure how to fix this problem. The populace will worship her and my mom will start taking an active role in society. All my work will be discovered and my life will be in danger. It is at the point where death would be the only option she could take."
"Why not finish her off first?"
"You mean kill my sister and mother?"
"No use yar sister to kill yar mother. She was under yar control log ago and should still be. Use that to have her aid ya in the Queen's destruction. Ya once confessed of a cave ya send the most resistant and righteous ponies to their doom. There is probably an abomination there, use that to devour her then burn it." The griffin smiled as he laid down and folded his claws together, head resting atop them.
Celestia looked at the prisoner before an evil smile spread across her lips, revealing the black holes teeth she had. "Ha that's brilliant." With that she rushed off towards the throne room as she retook her normal majestic form. Little did she know that the carcass of the griffin had been laying in the corner of the cell the entire conversation.
Celestia walked into the throne room with a grim look, her sister and mom were still hugging one another as she had left them. An anger filled her very being before she thrust it off as she walked off. "Mother sorry but something needs your attention."
Chrysalis rubbed her eyes with a wing as she stood up and looked over Celestia. "Can't it wait my dear, we just got your sister back from the afterlife."
Celestia nuzzles her mother and kissed a cheek before hugging Luna, who just blushed from it all. "I wish mother, but reports came in of necrotic magic emitting from a cave. There is a local legend of ponies who go there never return and well it seems it is true. Several skeletons came out and abducted ponies from nearby villages."
Chrysalis sighed as cracked her back by stretching like a cat, lifting her rump as she lowered her front. "Alright, we will meet here in an hour to discuss spells. I shall look in the archives." With that the queen left.
Luna looked towards her sister and hugged her with both wings. "Oh sister it is joyous to see you again. How I have miiiii." Her eyes went blank as Celestia had activated the control with a tendril of magic stabbing into the brain. She tested it a bit and could even make Luna use her magic, full power at that.
"Oh I missed you too dear sister. Now let's go say hello to a friend of mine." Celestia dropped a map with the location marked before leaving with her sister in tow.
Chrysalis arrived almost two hours later, having done a lot of research before discovering both her daughters had left. She saw the map and cursed Discord himself before flying off.
Chrysalis stood outside a massive cave entrance, gnarled dead trees coated the mountain around it. Moss covered most of the rocks, bones of various creatures and pony races littered the ground. Skulls were impaled on stakes among the rocks as the alicorn started gingerly stepping into the cave itself. The scent of decay filled her nostrils as she could feel the anguish of every soul lost, cries for loved onesthat were lost to the wind echoed in the natural magic of the air. This was not a safe or harmonious place, it was a graveyard and sacred place to Death. Chrysalis had only ever met that pony when she spent time and gave love to those who were about to pass on. Each time was hard for her, it never got easier as the embodiment of death scared her beyond anything the mortal world had.
Stalactites hung low from the roof as she created a small light orb that floated a few feet in front of her. The walls were painted with a dark red substance, the metallic smell in the air already told her it was dried blood. Grotesque pictures of ponies's deaths coated the walls. Her stomach churned as she kept walking deeper into the maw of death, each step causing her to worry even more.
"Why would Celestia and Luna come to a place like this... We are supposed to fix problems together as a family not on our own. I have to protect them, they are still so young." Something that could of made a place like this and hide from her for so long was too powerful for her daughters. It must be a necromancer that created this, no other being could create such a desolate place where no love or life could thrive.
As she got deeper the stone around her began to look carved, nothing neat or even like the stones of her house or the ones surrounding hers. Rough claw marks told her something made these walls, scratching away till it was a perfect arch almost with a smooth floor. Only a few things could do such feats and the first she thought of was Diamond Dogs. Though her hypothesis was proven wrong as a groan echoed down the hall. She wasn't alone anymore.
A shambling heap of something began working its way towards her. This creature actually made her vomit as it was a blog mixture of all sorts of things. There were limbs of all kinds, minotaur, buffalo, pony, griffon, wolf, cow, and several others as it was a large pink mass of flesh. The odor it gave off was of decay and rotting flesh, maggots wriggled around over it. Each time it moved puss oozed out various wounds along the limbs as it make a squelching noise.
Chrysalis had no hope for this thing as she wiped her mouth with a hoof. Standing tall she focused her magic along the horn, a pink ball forming at the end before she tilted forward and a ray of magic shot toward the thing. She expected it to disappear entirely as the spell was designed to disintegrate obstacles ponies found when digging. The smoke cleared and to her horror there was a golden shield surrounding the beast, she knew that magic and could feel its power from here.
That was her daughter's aura she felt from the shield. "Oh Celestia..." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she focused her magic and soon had five orbs surrounding her horn, each a different color. They began swirling together to create a rainbow before shooting off with an explosive shockwave rocking the cave around them as dust and rocks began falling from the ceiling. A sonic rainbow blast using the elements of Harmony contained within her soul was the only way she could think of destroying this beast.
The dust clouded her vision before she summoned the wind to blow it away, revealing a shimmering azure and gold shield surrounding the beast.... Her strongest magic had failed to destroy or even break the barrier as she just felt the sorrow of losing both children to this monster overtake her.
Tears clouded her vision as sorrow overtook her heart, the only emotion she felt right now was lose and anger as streaks of powerful destruction spells began flying from her horn. She drew from every reserve of power she had, all the elements of Harmony and Equess being used against the barrier to try and destroy what took the only thing that mattered to her.
But the shield kept hding as the creature kept encroaching on her, she thought about running away but what was the point when she had nothing left in this world. Sure there were the ponies who looked to her for guidance but how could she lead or protect them when she couldn't even protect her own children.
All her energy pooled itself into one last burst of magic as she called upon the fires of Tartarus to shoot an arc of green fire at the shield, it harmlessly bounced off and diminished into nothing. Chrysalis collapsed, exhausted as she had used the last of her magic in the attack, all strength gone as she accepted her fate.
The creature finally arrived at her, bloated boils popped as the spray coavered her from head to tail in thick slimy gunk. She didn't care anymore as she accepted her fate, but she would at least be with her daughters.
A warn sensation overcame her as the mass began wrapping around her, swallowing her body as she held her head up high, awaiting to take her last breath. Before she was finally swallowed the creature stopped, a look of confusion crossing her face before a soft golden light filled the cave. A gasp escaped her lips as before her stood her daughters, perfectly healthy and alive... Questions raced through her mind as she struggled to break free, her voice lost to her as she was too exhausted to yell.
Celestia stepped forward, Luna beside her with glazed over golden eyes. Her mind was not her own as it was clear she didn't realize anything anything hat was going on around her. A puppet beside its master as the curtains were ready to close on the life of a mother.
"Poor dear mother, eaten alive by some horrible beast you went to spay without us. The ponies will meet urn you but I shall fill the place left in their hearts, and my dear sister will lock herself away in mourning so no one will question your death. Some may but they will meet the same fate you did today. You may ask yourself, 'But my dear daughter... Why do this to your own mother?' Well to answer that, its simple. I want to be the ruler of ponies." A snarl escaped her lips as she slowly moved closer towards the entrapped Queen. "I want the ponies to love and do what I say, not be happy and have their own way of life. That is not order, it is not Harmony. Harmony is structure and order, to have that you need a leader to follow without question. You don't know how to rule ponies, you said so yourself that ponies don't really need a ruler. But they do mother, ponies are stupid by nature and bicker over the smallest things. They need a monarch to guide then and show then how to follow the rules. Luna will be beside my as a figure head, guided by the sorrow of 'Would mom approve?' She will do as I wish her and it will be by simply using the guilt of knowing you'd be disappointed in her for something she'd want to do hersl way and not mine. I am the true embodiment of Harmony. Now I shall show you."
Shadows began swirling around Celesti's horn as dark green light filled the air. Soon a tendril of energy stretched towards Chrysalis before diving right though her chest and gripping her soul. It ripped out the Elements of Harmony before solidifying them into solid shapes. The same green energy finally pushed the former monarchs head inside the goo. Both princesses began walking away with the elements floating behind them.
"Goodbye mother." Those were the last words Chrysalis heard before the mass was engulfed in the green fire of Tartarus.