If You Had To Choose

Chapters

Ch 1: Lost & Found
Ch 2: Questions
Ch 3: Last Chance
Epilogue: The Spear of The Stars

Ch 1: Lost & Found

A barren land filled with cold air was difficult to navigate in a perpetual night.

The ground was cracked in almost a puzzle sort of fashion, plants in this part of the region had begun to die. From the carnivorous plants, to the nocturnal predators, it was as if the eclipse had only made the Badlands several times worse. Frosted flakes despite their inability to stick to the ground with each drop from above, did not help the situation in the slightest, and the lightest wind could make almost anyone shiver.

A chilling breeze blew in from the south and Princess Celestia could see her breath as she trotted forward. Every step announced with each shod hoof. Every step occasionally cracking the dirt that had begun to cake with a thin, weak layer of ice. When Celestia came to a stop she stood on top of a slope, watching and surveying as her guards combed the arid grounds and every second that ticked was a second that brought nothing but anxiety.

Unicorn horns lit the way, many in groups with pegasi or earth ponies while lanterns were lit to aid in lighting the path. It was odd how the light worked as time passed. On the first day the sun had been blocked by the moon things had not been as dim or as dark, but with each passing day, as far as her internal clock told her, the shadows seemed to stretch as the moon crossed paths with the largest light of all. Always getting darker. Always stretching across the land ever wider.

As if she willed the shadows and wanted them to swallow the whole world in the same darkness that touched her heart.

Sister, Celestia watched a plane of glowing dots move about in the ever stretching dark, please rethink these actions. But in her heart, a part of her knew that Luna's stubbornness would seep into that thing. A part of her knew that the Nightmare wouldn't give up so easily. And that was the thing that made this all so difficult.

Pegasi soared overhead, illuminated by light carried in their helmets as they flew from section to section, searching long and hard for the items that could be used to restore peace to the world. Earth ponies used their attuned senses to the very earth itself, feeling and searching for the prized items of Equestria.

It had been like this for days. Hours of searching. Hours of hunting. Hours of trying to find a different solution to what was slowly and gradually becoming the inevitable and most obvious. A part of the Princess was grateful for her soldiers faith in her actions. And if she were being honest, the Princess knew she could not find the Elements alone.

They only had one of them so far, Magic which had been simple to find, but finding Luna's was proving to be much more difficult than she thought.

Eyes closed Celestia breathed in nostril stinging air and focused on her surroundings. Just like her own she could feel the connection, even if it was faint and oh so very weak it was still there. There was no doubt it was only one with how faint the feeling was, then again Luna would never hide two things in the same place and there was no doubt she had not considered her connection to the Elements to be so string. There was no doubt in her mind though, this was one of Luna's. One of her Elements.

"Princess!" The sound of flapping wings descended and a grass green pegasus snapped to salute with the light stone in his helmet shining in a almost brilliant light. "We've found an entrance to a underground cave. It was hidden by illusion magic Your Highness."

"Lead the way, quickly." Celestia took off with a trot. "We must hurry before she notices."

"Right, please follow me." And without another word the guard spread his wings and took off into the skies, the solar princess right by his side, the dark moon watching as the sun cast a dreadful light from behind the moon.

Private Cartwheel Drag landed with as much grace as possible. He was tired. Hours spent searching with only a few minutes of slumber did that but training, adrenaline and survival instinct was the only thing keeping him going. Then again in situations like this, rest wasn't a priority nor did he have the lenience to think much about it. Not that rest was really possible when it was hard to tell what day it was or what time it even was when there was no moon or sun to help with that process.

At least not in the normal sense anyway.

Trotting twice as fast to keep up with the long legged alicorn the trooper guided the path forward through the rocky dry ground, up a incline and towards the largest light source in front of a wall of stone where several other guards, most of them unicorns, stood gathered and waiting.

"Princess", a pale lemon yellow unicorn saluted. Right behind him, several soldiers did the same.

"Sergeant Lemon Twist", the princess nodded as she came to a stop in front of the amber eyed stallion, "situation?"

Horn glowing a bright red, giving the unicorn's eyes a luminous appearance, Sergeant Twist lifted up a single pebble and tossed it into the wall of solid stone in front of him. The pebble went soaring in a arc through the air and then in a odd display that was even visible with the dim light, the whole cliff shifted with a ripple effect of glowing blueish-purple energy becoming transparent. It shook, jiggled, wobbled, and swayed to the left then to the right all as the faint sound of the hurled stone hit something solid from within and echoed down into the cave's entrance below.

"An illusion as you can see clearly, Your Majesty." The unicorn's horn glowed a bit brighter to help in providing a bit more light as the low cliff stabilized. "Tingles over there", a unicorn mare that stood not far behind Lemon Twist nodded her head, "was quicker to pick up on the Nightmare's magic than I was. Wouldn't have known without her."

Turning her gaze to the young mare Princess Celestia offered her a warm smile. "Thank you Tingles. We may not have found the Element hidden in this place without you."

"Princess!" An alarmed voice interrupted before the mare could respond, a pegasus stallion landed with a thud and his heavy breathe was just barely visible in dim light. "Princess, we have a problem." The guard spoke in a rasp voice and nearly toppled as he took a shaky step forward. The warm gold glow that steadied him was the only thing that prevented him from tumbling to the ground.

"Speak, Captain."

"Sergeants Flint, Wisp, Tide, and Captain Gust along with their troops have all not returned to the rendezvous point of meeting. We were supposed to confirm our numbers before conglomerating back. There's been no sightings, no location flares, and no signals to indicate they've found anything. They were supposed to send a purple flare out in case of danger...I..." the bruised pegasus slumped, "we haven't seen any. One of my unicorns sent a flare out and we waited with no response. On our way back here to report this, we were ambushed."

"Ambushed?" Private Drag echoed. "Then..." his wings spread out just a little as he looked around, squinting in the dark and trying to see any signs of shapes in the sky. "Then...what happened to the others?"

"They are still fighting. Sergeant Spirit is leading the others in my steed. We must hurry if we are to catch up with them."

"You left your squad instead of sending somepony else to deliver this message?" Sergeant Twist growled. "Sickening."

In a blink the cerise red pegasus was in front of the pale yellow unicorn. Glaring at him, both eye-to-eye. "Don't act as if you would've done better. Time was short--"

"Yes, time is short. But you had no right in leaving your squad behind. A captain is--"

"Enough." A gold aura separated both pegasus from unicorn. "We do not have time for this. Sergeant Twist, go with Captain Flake. Take your troops and follow him. If you hurry, you can make it there quickly."

"Yes, but Princess this cave might--"

"Do not worry about the cave. I will handle it. Go, now. And be safe. Flake?"

"Yes, My Liege?"

"Give him the directions to your last position. Teleportation will get you there quicker. All of you be safe, I will see you soon."

Honesty.

Princess Celestia was certain. The element in this cave was the Element of Honesty. She could feel the vague familiarity of its presence and as she traveled through the pitch black dark, she wondered why Luna had hidden it here. Underground, in a cave that was cold, isolated, and echoed with the sounds of drips and drops all of which were drowned out by the steps of her very golden shod hooves. It was as if all of this was just a way to remind her of her own role to play in her sister's own descent away from the light.

A role she hadn't even realized she was playing till it was far too late. Or maybe she'd known, and simply believed that much like her, Luna would adapt. Adjust. And get over some of the extra features that came with the position and title of being a royal.

After all, to her, it wasn't too long ago when the noble houses had been considering them unworthy holders to the Equestrian Crown after Star Swirl disappeared and there was no pony to silence them before Discord came to be.

Every step forward made the feeling just a bit stronger. It was a thrum, like a drum in the base of her horn and it tingled from horn down to the spine as she moved and grew closer and closer to the source.

For a moment Celestia paused at the sight in front of her. Her horn flared with radiant light and two orbs of glowing energy floated around her, orbiting before taking off and moving forward. Banishing the darkness and all the shadows that dared cross its path as the temple and the stone staircase ahead of it was brightened and came to a much clearer view.

Since the first day Nightmare Moon had made her first appearance, her debut so to speak, and raised the moon to block out the sun so much had changed. She had heard the rumors when they began years ago, had sent many of her own officers to investigate but the leads had never been fruitful or always disappeared. There was always trouble. Always something new to deal with, always something else to do and she'd been too busy to focus on rumors for too long. There had been reports back then that there were some strange groups gathering. Ponies that seemed to view them in a way that, while uncomfortable, was in another perspective understandable.

She had seen it then, in to a degree there was no doubt she was seeing it now. Whomever had ambushed the Captain and her soldiers, were no doubt followers of Luna or this new entity Nightmare Moon.

After all, it wasn't every pony that could banish demons to another realm, lead a war with a significantly smaller army and survive a gruesome fight with one of the Changeling Hives, or defeat a wizard that was presumed to be dead and gone.

Yes, it was overconfidence. Much like Tirek, she believed they could solve any problem easily. And ironically enough, much like Tirek in a way Celestia could see for the first time ever she now saw things through Scorpan's eyes in a different light.

In many ways she had betrayed Luna, much like Tirek had allowed his views to betray what little remained of his nation back then and his brother.

Years of victory had made her complacent and she hadn't even realized it or when that complacency even settled in and as she stepped forward, down the stone stairs, ears perked and her senses alert she began to wonder how her soldiers were doing. If they somehow secretly hated her for making them do this. For making them search for the Elements when the simplest solution (which was debatable) was to mobilize an army with allied forces and hunt down the Nightmare before she did much more damage and caused the world irreparable harm.

Looking back on it now, it had begun with Tirek. The confidence, not the fear or the creeping sense of dread. Stopping a centuar who could eat magic like candy only to defeat him with magic, was ironic. But at the same time it did so much to one's sense of self-worth and confidence at the same time.

When facing Discord she'd been terrified but she'd put on a mask, with Sombra it'd been sadness, with the undead army of Uttar it had been disgust and anger, with Tirek it hadn't been fear but annoyance-- but with the Nightmare, it was a growing sense of dread. Dread that threatened to crush her as she realized the second option she was being forced into. A smart tactic to push her into as Nightmare Moon knew it was an option she would never consider, never dream of trying because taking the option meant losing a part of herself in the process and losing someone so much more important to her than even Equestria.

Which brought up the most important question of all. When the straw was down, her hoof forced, what would she choose? Her sister or her subjects and nation?

It wasn't easy being part of an absolute power, just like it wasn't easy being a princess.

If she had the chance to go back in time to see Platinum once more, she'd apologize. Because now she truly understood why her old friend had so gladly been willing to escape from this heavy golden crown.

One thousand statues of white stone held up a smooth grey ceiling. These statues or pillars of massive proportions shined a light from their eyes and horns, bathing the whole place in pure artificial light. Princess Celestia eyed each statue as she moved through the small temple that was bigger on the inside than it was on the outside.

Her hooves were silent yet swift as she moved and every step she took, was a cautious one. She'd been through many temples in her past. Some riddled with moss or other signs of age and decay. Many had held traps of some shape or form. Trying to kill any that were unwanted, and many had been narrowly escaped had it not been for the aid of friends.

Like many of those times before, she had went in alone. This time, she was certain there'd be no friendly back up or aide.

Giant statues that were neither minotaur nor centaur stared blankly at the ground and they seemed to almost be staring at her. Watching her, despite the fact their heads never turned and the only thing that glowed were their eyes and goat-like horns. The faces were apeish, almost Monkey like, different from a minotaur yet similar to a Centaur. Human, if she recalled correctly, but their kind did not exist here and these creatures were different from them. Her memories of these creatures or lessons related to their kind was vague, oh so vague but oh so familiar. If her mind weren't muddled with so many thoughts on what was needed to be done or the concern that nipped at her for the safety of her guards she might've had a clearer mind to reason and recollect what exactly she was staring at but the situation didn't call for dilly-dallying and Celestia knew she was wasting time.

But for some odd reason, she could not help but stare.

The half-man, half-goat statues held up the world as they stared blankly at the ground down below. For one brief second Celestia's ears perked as though she heard movement and with a blaze of her horn, she turned to the threat that threatened her only to find nothing at all.

The shadows are her guide--and a cloak to aptly hide--your time slowly fades, dear Sun maid.

Turning to face the statues that paved the hallway of her path, Celestia waited for one more second, feeling as though she needed to. When that second ended, she blinked away. Quickening her chase for the element before it was too late.

"Luna..." hooves clipped and clopped.

Metal clanked, and the dark blue alicorn turned. "It is Nightmare Moon."

"Sister--"

"You lost the right to call Us that a long time ago." Came the bitter snarl and somehow these words were more painful than any attack.

"You don't mean that." Celestia eyed her contemporary who now matched her size and height.

"Honesty. We mean what was said, and We say what We mean."

"Honesty is the last thing I see before my eyes, Luna. This is not Honesty. This is--"

"This is what I've always wanted to be."

"And I don't believe you." The Sun shook her head while the Moon glowered where she stood.

"You never did, did you?" Nightmare Moon smiled, and every tooth her smile revealed was one that belonged to only a carnivore. "You will lose if you face me here and now. Go. Go to your soldiers. Help them. They will all die if you do not. And We know you well. You cannot turn from those that need help. Even those that have darkened themselves you still always give one final chance."

"But I'm not the only one who gives others a second chance." The princess commented and her eyes stayed fixed on the Nightmare. Very well aware that just above them both, the Element of Honesty stood on a statue that rested on the ceiling.

"Can you do it?" Nightmare Moon asked and her horn glowed a dark purple light. "Will you do it?"

"I haven't an idea what you mean" The princess replied as her horn too glowed.

"Can you kill me? Us. Her. Your own sister."

"No."

Not a second after the word was coldly spoken did Nightmare Moon burst out with laughter, a vile cackle that combined Luna's gasping guffaws with a proud and arrogant trumpeting titter.

"Because I won't have to." Celestia finished and her eyes glinted a steely glare as her face remained perfectly calm and a single brow rose.

And like a pin, all the laughter died. "...What makes you say that?" the Nightmare's face was neutral also but the flicker of anger in her eyes was there. Their expression were similar now, almost like they were twins. Strands of indigo and silver hair billowed behind her, while strands of blue, green, pink, light red, yellow, and more shifted and changed; both of their manes and tails shifted and altered, moving as if carried by some mystic magical wind as each felt their emotions flare.

But only Nightmare's turned to anger as she"What makes so confident you can defeat me so easily?"

"Because, I know my sister. And she is not a monster."

One second passed and two different eyes stared at one another unblinking.

"If you knew Us well, you would not have lost the Elements. Relinquish power to me, and I will not kill you Celestia."

"If you think I will give up, then you do not know me at all. I fear more for you specter, for I've faced much worse--"

"Together." The Nightmare interjected and her eyes narrowed with a aggravated glare. "We've fought much worse together. Never alone. But look around Celestia. Look around you, and know that here... you are alone. This is my domain. The darkness is my realm, my home, my foundation. Just as you cannot move the moon so easily unless I give you the right, so too do you lack the power of the dark. I can banish it--", her horn flared just a bit brighter, the shadows of pillars turned and angled as if light itself had shifted positions and they moved away from the two sisters, "--and I can summon it", the shadows rose, widened, grew and stretched, all of them reaching for the dark alicorn. All of them trying to touch her but never coming anywhere near her hooves. "We've moved on and are tired of being your shadow. No more. I am done. We will have what is ours. Our years of patience, hard work, and effort will no longer be ignored. One chance, give up your half of the power. Relinquish what is rightfully mine, and I will spare your life and exile you from our kingdom with only your name destroyed."

"Never. Not if this darkness is what you plan to leave the world in. It will never survive, and you know it."

"That is for me to decide." Nightmare Moon growled.

"Then your decision is a foolish one. Even as we talk", the Princess blew a cold visible breath, "it grows ever colder. What do you rule if all life dies? The crops will wither, the other nations will not stand for these actions and even now I am well aware that every day that passes is a day that invites more strife. What will you do when you face these odds?"

"I will know that I ruled. And that I found a means to preserve the life We took charge of."

Eyes closed, Princess Celestia let out a breath through her nostrils. A tired sigh. Stubborn. And she knew what this had to come to.

"Then you leave me no choice." Celestia's light blazed and the darkness was pushed back but stayed in the corners of their surroundings.

"Yes", Nightmare Moon responded, a serrated toothy grin forming as her barrel shook with hidden mirth. "Yes, I suppose I don't. You know Celestia", Nightmare Moon offered a chuckle "you may be be the bearer of Magic for now, but after all these years...I too have been practicing my magic."

Her smile faded and the black ink of shadows returned. Shadows became as dark as night and light that shined was blocked out. "And I brought surprises of my own."

Several creatures rose from the dark, springing forth as if they were hurled, and in a blaze of light to push all back, Princess Celestia found her attackers to be beings not from this world.

"...We will meet again, Princess. There is only one way for this to end, and you know how this will go."

Scowling, Celestia turned to look for the Element only to find it gone. In the returned light of the temple she heard the echoing sound of laughter. Laughter that bounced off the walls, punctured her ears and ignited the fury in her breast. She burned like the sun caught ablaze like wood to make fire, and through the aether Princess Celestia returned to the surface now a beacon of light in the cold and dark.

She soared into the air, higher and higher, till the chill was almost painful and when she stopped she was hundreds upon hundreds of feet in the air. Try as she might she found no Nightmare.

Try as she might, she could see no Element. Feel no Element and in that instant she knew she had failed.

A chill colder than the temperature gripped her heart as flakes of snow touched rained around her. And in that chill, Princess Celestia saw a flare. A purple flare, a call for help.

Infuriated, enraged, burning with a desire to protect, Celestia flew.

She flew for her little ponies, because they were the only thing in reach she could still protect.

Ch 2: Questions

"It doesn't have to be like this." The words were carried with a chilling breeze with the sweeping wind as the distant sounds of battle came from far down below on all sides. And while Nightmare Moon’s ears heard concern, her mind told her this was all just an attempt to lower her guard.

The concern in the Princess' voice was a lie. She was being misled. A move to simply draw her into a sense of lowering her guard and the second she let her guard down… Celestia would strike her down.

It’s what Luna would do if their situations were switched and what she’d often done in many different scenarios.

“We don’t need to keep fighting Luna. Please, let me help you!” The voice begged with all the manner and control only crafted through years of experience, but with every word Nightmare Moon could tell there was sincere pain.

That pain however was nothing compared to her turmoil or, what their pain would be if she showed a hint of weakness now after coming this far.

There was silence, interrupted by thunder. Neither moved, they just blinked, listened to the battle in the distance on the other side of the bridge, and breathed steady, careful breaths. As neither knew if this would really be the other’s last.

“Luna--”

A silver shod hoof stomped into the cracked ground as the air was filled with the static crackle and popping sounds of her magic. "Do not, call me that name" the alicorn snorted and her eyes narrowed as her pupils contracted into slits of anger. As her anger rose her wings fluffed out just a little, and she waited in silence with a leering a serrated snarl. Daring the princess to challenge her title with that name again.

That name was an association to weakness, weakness she had cast aside and as Nightmare Moon she was no weakling. She was a goddess. A goddess that would rule this nation and this world like the sovereigns their kind were made out to be.

In the distance, off to the east, lightning struck and thunder boomed over the damaged watchtower they stood on. The light from the lightning illuminated the area around them, scaring away the dark for a brief moment as several spells on the other side of the chasm (opposite to the castle) were being fired and Celestia's soldiers drove fleeing enemies out into the forest, chasing them down.

The air was thick with tension as Celestia said nothing with a slightly gape mouth and a stunned posture. That tension washed away the second a droplet hit the ground between them.

And just like that, it began to rain. With that chilling rain the mood shifted and with a slowly calming posture the Princess said nothing more, accepting her defeat as her lips pressed together into a firm line that tugged down into a sad, disappointed frown.

For her part, the dark alicorn took a great amount of satisfaction out of this. A wicked grin sprung to life that was inspired from seeing a small, insignificant victory but a victory nonetheless. A small victory that made a small part of the Nightmare ask herself one important question: Why can’t you let me win, just once?

It was a question that would never be answered, because it was a question she never asked.

“You really won’t give up on this silly dream of yours...will you?” Celestia asked after a unknown amount of time had passed.

“Silly?” Nightmare repeated the word with bitter calm, seconds after processing the words just spat at her.

The princess made no reply or attempt to take back what she’d said.

The pitter-patter of rain hitting cold stone was the only sound that followed.

For all her talk, all her taunts, Nightmare Moon knew underestimating the princess would be her undoing. Luna knew her sister, she knew what she was attempting. She was weighing her options. Deciding what to do. Trying to draw them out and if their emotions got the better, they would slip up. One slip up, one opportunity to get the upper hoof and Celestia would win. All of this would be for nothing once the princess got a hold of the Element of Magic. And then only the worst could only await them and that was the very reason she’d scattered the Elements in the first place when she’d found they would not listen or obey her.

If she won out here, morale would be lost. Defeat the queen and the game was over. It was simple to say...more difficult to accomplish.

Even more difficult to achieve when the princess had found three of the six missing Elements. A feat that not only surprised, impressed, and infuriated the Nightmare, but also made her ask the question of how her rival had found them so quickly.

When they'd first fought that fateful first day, she had gone prepared. She had planned to banish her sister, winning easily without having any damage done to her new castle. Sadly, it hadn't worked because Magic would not work for them.

So she'd done the next best thing before they could be used against her, she'd scattered them. Not in just Equestria, but she'd scattered them all over the world. It should have taken Celestia longer than just a few a days to find even half of the elements again, just as it had taken her weeks to find and cast her traps around them-- it should have taken her sister just as long.

So why didn't it? It was a question that infuriated them as it had no easy answer. And was just another way to point out that even in times where she was the one with the most disadvantages, her sister always managed to find some way out of a dark situation.

Thunder boomed and the rain drizzled on.

‘You really won’t give up on this silly dream of yours will you?’ The words echoed in her mind, replaying like a broken record as she analyzed the hidden message. There was a warmth to that pitch and tone, a warmth she could not help but hate. In between the lines, hidden behind every syllable, there was sarcasm, condescension, disdain, disrespect.

She could see it even now. Even now as they stared down at each other, Nightmare Moon could only see the sadness reflected in Celestia’s eyes as patronizing disregard.

A long time ago, a friend had once warned her of the growing gap. That there would be moments where the distance between her and her sister would either widen or shrink and it all depended on how they interacted. He had warned her to be careful, to tread with caution and she'd dismissed it. Considered the statement reading in too much into things that did not exist, a joke or jest, as Accord was occasionally fond of but at the same time her rejection of his points had been a unconscious move on her part to ignore what was being pointed out and what she secretly feared. And in a way she was still ignoring it. Even now when it had become the obvious.

Was it really so wrong to want to act like there was never anything wrong? That in the years that had passed she hadn’t been slipping? That she hadn’t been slowly losing that fine tuned sense of control she'd crafted through years of work, years of political investment, through trial and error --so many errors-- even when she wasn't in control of a situation the knowledge that she had control over herself and could always regain control had been more comforting than the knowledge things could get out of hoof.

Was it wrong she hated Celestia for being stronger one? Was it wrong she hated her sister for not understanding?

And was it so wrong to want a little more affection in the grand scheme of all things?

Just a little bit more attention. More than baseless primal desire, more than simple praise or petty admiration but to receive that same glint of hope, that look of jubilation she’d seen so many give her sister when they walked the streets or visited the neighboring town or village. It was the same kind of look her own young would give her, had given her, and the sort of look of adoration and respect she hadn’t seen in what felt like eons on the face of the public when she appeared.

With a single blink, the thoughts were gone. Nightmare Moon didn’t get why she was shaking. She didn’t register it. Didn’t notice. Her chest felt tight for some odd reason and it became hard to breath. That was when the shivers happened and oh how the shivers wouldn’t stop. Memories surfaced, Luna's memories, like a torrent rushing through her mind she recalled things that were not welcomed. Memories that Luna had long since buried but were now spilling out like wasted split milk. Feelings that weren't her own, but feelings she shared in as she was merely a piece of cog in the larger machine. Thoughts and emotions as they rushed forward became memories. Luna’s memories resurfaced, questions they didn’t like thinking about began rearing their ugly heads.

These questions were much like the plague.

They came with a force, unwanted, and hurt everything they touched. Questions like if she lost here, what would happen? Would she go to Tartarus or would she be exiled from the land she’d helped nurture and create?

What would her offspring think of her? The nobles that oversaw the lands in various parts of the nation, how would they see her now when some had already begun to think unduly of her over the years? Something within the barriers of the Nightmare's mind shivered at the horrific thought only to have a new one replace it one after the other.

What would her offspring's descendants think of her?

What would history think of her?

What would her nephews and nieces, her grandnephews and grandnieces think of her? To know their great aunt had committed treason, which this was not, and as a result had been sent to Tartarus till a manner of restoring her had been secured? Or in the worst case she was left to rot there like Tirek.

What did those of her guard think of her as she was now? Did they regret their oaths? Was that the reason why so many had refused to side with her when she'd launched her very first declaration of war? Were they as terrified as many of the peasantry had been on the day she first emerged because of the form she now took?

If she was forced to retreat and Celestia found the rest of the Elements, despite her best efforts, how would their battle end? If they lost, if the Elements were used, would death truly come given what she had become or would the Elements immobilize her? Purify her? Destroy her?

Panic set in, panic that turned into a growing sense of dread. The thoughts and feelings that came to mind were unwanted, unnecessary, and were clouding her judgement but like any other time an episode passed, she would act like it had never happened. That there was never anything wrong.

A part of Nightmare Moon feared the Elements and what they would or could do. She had used them so many times against their enemies. Sometimes alone, sometimes altogether. Another part that understood the Elements, felt a powerful desire to tame them. To force them under her control. As control meant strength and strength was necessary to lead in these times.

Popping into her head before she could even think of an answer, the intrusive thoughts wouldn’t go away and the more they popped up, the angrier she became. Wings flaring she blasted off again, hoof out first to strike Princess Celestia as hard as she could and when she missed, the Nightmare found herself turning in the air, huffing and puffing as she fought for control over the tide that threatened to overwhelm her and as she breathed in and out, a new thought came to mind.

Was it really so wrong to want to go back to being that immaculate champion?

That champion that had returned to Canterlot the day Discord was overthrown. To be that Princess that had been praised and heard the masses chant both the name of her sister and her in victory, over and over. Those times where the fears or worries were scarce and hardly caused her to feel so low. Where feasts were held in their honor and she could cause boisterous laughter. The time of her life where she’d been the most lively.

Closing her eyes as she stayed hovering in the air Nightmare Moon could hear it.

The chanting was like a roar the day they came back and their victory had been announced, and yes, while it was centuries ago in the tombs, it was merely just a few years ago to her. She could hear their subjects, see their smiling faces, feel their joy-- those were the golden days of the Reformation Era. Where all that had been wrong had begun to settle after Discord’s magic ceased to lay hold on the world as it had before. Those were the times they’d been praised for their accomplishments. Where all that hard work didn’t seem like such a burden or a waste of time to ungrateful plebs. Where it was actually worth all the sacrifice, all the tears, blood and pain.

All that reminiscing was interrupted as Nightmare Moon’s ears perked, her eyes widened and she heard a whistling in the wind as something flew at her.

Horn igniting in a brief glow she teleported as several spells of pale blue color were sent flying in her direction and when she appeared back on the damaged tower, the Nightmare raised a shield as Princess Celestia slammed seven tons of force and made the Mare of the Moon grit her teeth in pain at the feedback that she most certainly had received.

Was it so bad to want to go back to that time where she had been at the epitome of her rule? The thought came out of nowhere.

No, was the answer she got. The answer was comforting, familiar, pleasant and Nightmare Moon found comfort in this answer. Just as one found comfort in the support of a friend, comfort that banished all her qualms and fed the flames of her confidence, her desire to achieve the power she so rightfully deserved.

It was natural to want to go back to how things were, that same familiar voice whispered into her ears. When things were at their best. When she and Celestia had not been standing on tilting scales but were equals. When she was appreciated and the elected nobles that had proven their worth showed her respect.

It was only natural to want to go back to that time where the Crown was not as heavy but was pleasant to wear before the wave of trouble came as time went on.

Nightmare Moon wanted so badly to return to those times of the golden age.

But there was only one way she could do that. One way she could go back to those times and relive those days, every night. She needed to remove the one that stood above her. She needed to crush her sister, the one who was the spotlight and apple of every eye, to show that she was the more competent and become the ruler that they all needed.

In a flash of indigo light, Nightmare Moon dropped her shield and tasted something coppery on her tongue from the pressure of biting her lips. Blinking the blur out of her eyes, the empress of the moon squinted through the drizzle and looked up to the dusky sky only to see a dot in the sky.

Spreading her wings, the Nightmare followed. Ready to take back those wondrous times.

Ready to restore those lost memories of glory to her former name.

Author's Note

This one took some time. A lot of careful research was done on this to try and give a understanding into Nightmare Moon's head.

If there are any mistakes, feel free to let me know.

Ch 3: Last Chance

Lightning struck and two Alicorns soared in the air, trading spell for spell. Minor weak spells that consumed oh so little magic, something to sting and daze the foe, a light tap that caught the enemy off guard so a more devastating blow could be delivered sooner rather than later.

It was a trick Star Swirl had taught them quite some time ago. Sparing light doses of magic to reserve more powerful spells of the draining sort for more serious damage. Of course, as time went on and she and Tia grew stronger in magic, resorting to serious forms of combat outside of those...well...special few, became less and less savory. Back when bandits were common visitors to a village or town, especially to the enriched environment that was the capital Nightmare Moon could recall those often grim times where a village was not just plundered and burned but inhabitants were stolen, taken away to be made servants or in some cases, things much worse than laborious servitude.

Angling her wings just slightly so, Nightmare Moon pirouetted left as a paralyzing spell was sent zooming her way. It was a foolish thing to do, to paralyze another when you were over a thousand feet in the air but then again they weren’t like the others.

They were so much more different, so much more powerful and durable that falling from a height like this would only leave soreness at best where paraplegia would be guaranteed for others, if a miracle didn’t happen first.

Turning, gliding, horn flaring a sickly dark green glowing, Nightmare Moon fired a paralysis spell of her own, one that would induce horrific pain on its recipient to induce muscle clenching immobility so long as the hate of the user was there to fuel the spell.

And oh how she hated her.

It was to bad the spell ended up missing instead.

Two different wings flapped now and again, and in the distance, all around them there was signs of battle. Glancing behind her, Nightmare Moon saw Everfree Castle the place she was doing everything in her power to keep the solar princess from reaching right now.

Glancing below her, Nightmare Moon could see her forces were losing.

A part of her cursed herself for training the Royal Guard so bloody damn well.

Another part expressed relief, that at the very least they did not shame all that effort and time put into training them.

“You’ve lost, Luna.”

Pupils became nothing but needle thin slits, and with widening eyes and blank expression, Nightmare Moon looked up at Princess Celestia with all the stunned expression of a suddenly startled child.

Princess Celestia stared back, her expression calm as they flew above the slowly waning battle.

A long time ago, this had been natural. Celestia had been more about the wit, the plans, the manipulation-- where she had been more about instinct, reaction, and the then and there.

The two watched and studied each other. The only sound between them were the flap of wings. Now sitting on the receiving end of the table, Nightmare Moon now realized what it was like to face her sister in war, and what she realized sent a rising heat of emotion through her.

She had been played. This entire time, she was being lured away, and now that her forces were fleeing and their numbers had dropped she would either be forced to fight or flee.

The problem was, Nightmare Moon knew they’d spent far too much time fleeing and they had no desire to board that train again.

Eyes closing, nostrils flaring, wings still beating, Nightmare Moon sighed; a calm yet exasperated sound.

Without a word she snapped her wings shut and fell to the ground.

Celestia only realized what the disguised monster had planned a second or two later

Crashing into the ground, legs sore, body full of minor bruises, scratches, wounds, Private Cartwheel winced as he rolled, hopped out of the way of a swinging axe, then watched as a friendly lit his opponent on fire with a flick of magic, only to turn and gallop away as his foe reached out with a gargled cry before dropping into a toasty, burning mess.

Wings snapped out and the Private took off flying, he needed to report the Sergeant’s message and inform the rest of the divisions of their advances. The private flapped his wings, feeling a burn in the already tired and strained muscles as he wung it with everything he had.

“Section C is all clear!” Cartwheel shouted to others as he flew by. “I repeat, we have cleared this area and are moving back to the castle to assist the Princess against the Nightmare!”

A flare was sent out and it exploded in blinding green light, signalling the task complete.

No sooner had this light been sent out did something else catch his attention on his northwest. Something large, something equine, something that glowed as it was being chased down by Princess-- a weight hit the ground with a shaking rumble that rolled the earth, scattered clouds of dust then pushed those growing clouds forward as air pressure and wind sent the airborne pegasus back as though he’d hit a wall and it was pushing him back with everything it had.

Flying backwards due to the force of the shockwave, Private Cartwheel found himself tumbling through branches. He tried to angle his wings just right to regain control of his spinning trajectory, but whatever spell had hit him in that shockwave, it made his wings resistant to his commands.

Several paper thin branches dug into his dirty, sweat stained pelt, and then several branches attempted to break his ever dropping altitude and fall. Private Cartwheel felt a horrible pain pepper his body as his muscles twitched in an attempt to regain control, only for him to lose focus through the haze of agony that came when his face banked off a branch and the world became a blur of colors as he rolled and tumbled like a ragdoll against the ground.

When he blinked next, Private Cartwheel couldn’t recall when he’d met the sweet, cold embrace of the wet ground. Nor did he remember his wing ever being so limp and difficult to move to his responses.

In training he’d always been able to move certain parts of his body when a paralysis spell of some sort was used, but right now he couldn’t move or twitch a muscle and his left wing was unresponsive to a single twitch or rustle.

There was an odd liquid that dribbled from his face somewhere and he was almost certain that a tooth had been forcefully misaligned during his tumble from just how much his muzzle hurt and his lips seemed to ache. There were groans around him, groans from distant allies who had suffered a similar fate and there were groans from enemies who suffered the fate of the same attack.

Astounded by this turn, Private Cartwheel could only find solace in the one fact that whatever this monster was, he was relieved to know that this monster wasn’t Princess Luna. Because if there was one thing that was well known about the missing princess of the diarchy, it was that she would never harm her own soldiers. But would rather die than bring them harm at her own hooves.

Laying there, motionless, unable to move, only able to feel a dull numbness and slight pain as he breathed Private Cartwheel looked up at the sky as far as the side of his face that wasn’t in dirt would allow him. And in doing so he saw the blotched out sun that radiated an ominous reddish orange from behind a impossible dark moon.

This was...the end, wasn’t it?

The end of the world had come again, only this time it was not some unknown trickster god bringing its reality...nor some overlord centaur of immense power, but a monster, a demon that had killed the princess of the moon, taking her from this world and from her nation just to usurp her title.

He swallowed the lump in his throat because that was the best he could do. At the very least, he wouldn’t die from spittle or blubbering like a little foal.

Worse came soon though. And it came in the sound of carefully placed steps.

She stopped.

The injured pegasus laying before her was not one of her own lunar pegasi of the guard. Or to be more precise, this was not one of her own loyal sworn subjects.

Nightmare Moon eyed the pegasus, moving closer with no hesitation as she knew at this moment Celestia would not go to the castle to retrieve whatever weapon she had in plan when her subjects were suffering at their very hooves.

“AH!” The grunt made her pause as she studied the pegasus with a raised brow.

One lime green eye was locked solely on her. “AH! Ah ahg gah un!” He stuttered, rambled or...whatever it was he was trying to do at this moment.

A wing twitched when the Nightmare took another step closer and this time the soldier made no garbled response in saying whatever words he was trying to say with a numb tongue and lips.

Horn glowing, eyes cold and indifferent Nightmare Moon considered her options. Wait for Tia to emerge and use the soldier here as a shield or heal the soldier now and gain his pledge as her loyal subject.

Her eyes scanned her surroundings and she heard nothing of importance that would warrant her to be alert, just the groans and moans of the weak and injured, nothing more and nothing less. She would take care of them soon enough, healing shouldn’t be difficult now, not with the power she had at her disposal.

Leaning forward Nightmare Moon offered the downed soldier a fanged smile, one his eye looked at, blinked, then focused back onto her face. “Tell me my subject”, his ear flicked at the word ‘my subject’, “will you pledge your life to me if I heal you from these wounds?”

The pegasus forelegs twitched and his tail flicked almost too sluggishly as he struggled against the freeze spell placed on him. Nightmare Moon’s eyes glanced down to the dislocated wing and she leaned in closer to the soldier’s snout, now very well taking in the scent of blood, sweat, and stench that lingered around as she drew a hoof step closer.

“Will you pledge your life to Us, if We save you? You only need but nod, it is the best you can do in this state after all.” The night deity whispered in almost calming tones.

Private Cartwheel merely stared at Nightmare Moon. He didn’t try to nod, he didn’t try to speak, he just breathed and blinked. Seconds went by and the Nightmare’s calm, pleasant expression began to shift into a look of impatience. The task was not hard, it was not difficult, the spell had been set to restrict attempts of retaliation not submissive or neccessary acts such as breathing, swallowing, nodding or shaking.

“Well?” The alicorn asked now raising her head to her full imposing height. “Do you not wish to be healed?”

Again, Private Cartwheel said nothing, did nothing, he blinked and looked up at Nightmare Moon with a narrowed eye but he did not responded.

Seconds ticked by, these were longer. They were seconds that proved all the paranoid points of Luna to be true. Points Nightmare Moon checked off on a mental list as every second she was aware of ticked by and every second seared the reminder of loneliness, rejection, and the loss of those glory days she once held into her mind.

Pupils became serpentine slits and Nightmare Moon revelled in the way that eye widened in fear for the briefest of moments before that fear was dashed with a dragged out sense of chivalry and courage as the wounded pegasus’ eye narrowed into one of defiance and anger.

“You...insolent little pest”, the Nightmare whispered in growing ire. Horn glowing she lifted the pegasus up and a second later, the cold numbness in Cartwheel’s body began to release its vice grip hold from around him into a dull sense of restrained movement.

“You dare defy your queen?” The Nightmare asked, her voice lacking in volume but the weight of her words just as heavy as she tilted the pegasus head tightly in her direction. Cartwheel for his part made things difficult for her, he flopped left resisting the alicorn then right trying to regain control of his muscles but only managing minor movement at best.

“Yush r mo queen”, came the answer.

Lips pulled back in a derisive, angered snarl to hide the blow those words had done.

“What name do you hold?”

Struggling, Cartwheel was shaken roughly in the Nightmare’s field to reassert who was in charge here.

“Carhwheel Drahg”, the private answered with narrowed eyes and numb lips. Lips he was currently trying to pull back into a confident snarl of his own but they refused to listen as he began to dribble drool.

Searching for the name in memories not her own, Nightmare Moon found she did not recognize it. But the insolence of this one was one she would not soon forget. “You forget your place.” The field tightened and Cartwheel wheezed as his gaze was made to focus solely on the demon before him.

“Soldiers swear fealty to their princesses and princes, their rulers and lords, their kings and their queens. What you’ve shown me here is that when I take over, We must make changes to ensure more like you” the star peppered mane flicked a painful sting on the bruised stallion’s crusted nose, “do not have a chance to raise unnecessary acts of insubordination.”

“Nightmare Moon”, a firm voice interjected.

Nightmare Moon’s eyes narrowed and her fanged grin turned to face the Princess as she stood with a division of wounded, injured troops behind her, several less harmed officers flanking her. Horns glowing, a telltale warning
.
“Release him.” Princess Celestia ordered, the warmth in her tone before now completely lost as she said this. One earth pony stallion of reddish brown coat and a dripping bruised nose trotted forward, static light travelled between his semi-glowing hooves as he glared at the Nightmare and more flicks of energy sparked between his front hooves.

Eyes from the leading stallion on the left to the rest of the soldiers on the right, Nightmare Moon became aware of the distant pegasi floating overhead; two groups of three floating feet above.

“...So this it is, isn’t it?” The Nightmare asked and as she did so, her grin faded as she took in her surroundings and what this all meant.

Her forces had lost. Either that or they were far too scattered and divided to pose much of a threat, which meant that the Vassals of Light, the royal guard, were simply mopping up the rest while the others regrouped to capture or defeat her-- the general.

“Yes”, Princess Celestia responded, her expression a chiseled stone of patience.

Nightmare Moon nodded. A slow dull nod as if she registered her defeat or the chance it was near.

“Tell me, insolent one”, Nightmare Moon turned her gaze back to the wounded stallion she grasped in her magic. Her expression neutral, her eyes slits of emotion that glowed a strange, enticing light that could only be associated to the enchantments of spirits of the dark.

“...What is it about Princess Celestia you love so much”, the Nightmare asked aloud in a voice as clear as day “that makes you serve her so loyally, so faithfully, and so staunchly?”

Of all the things he’d expected to have heard, the battered Private had never expected that.

Seconds slowly ticked by, and every second that ticked was one that added a chip of tension.

A long time ago, she had never had a problem with where she stood. Back then there was no staircase of class or social hierarchy to climb. Back then things had been...well not different...but different enough.

She'd accepted their differences, welcomed it even, and merely went wherever her sister went because being alone was a fate far worse than being bored or being in peril. Celestia had always been the more charismatic one, the one that others flocked to, the more magically talented, and in youth the more boastful while she'd always been the subdued, patient one. As time changed, so did they. Positions switched, ponies changed. And as they changed and grew and learned they’d stopped being foals, started being adults and somewhere along the line she was became second best.

Somewhere along the line them differences between them became something painfully hard to disavow and ignore.

For a long time she was fine with where they both stood. Aside from the occasional intrusive thought now and again, everything had been fine or normal as far as what one could expect when leading a nation.

Luna had been fine.

Till the day she wasn't, the day her qualms became weighted problems and she handled them by ignoring them.

She'd always passed it off as nothing, simple doubt, motivations to goad her into working harder. Unaware of the pedestal she'd put her sister on while day in and day out, she lowered herself to meet standards she'd long since exceeded..

It was odd how things worked in life. Discord had once jokingly told her the very same thing.

She and her sister were different, not on the same level or on par with each other even if the positions they occupied required them to ‘act’ as equals in every degree. These were statements that had aggravated Celestia, and statements that had incensed Luna. Statements meant to drive a wedge between them in their first altercations with the trickster god of candy and bubblegum until Discord said something one altercation that made them both pause.

“The truth is neither of you will admit I’m right when I’m right because it scares you and by the time I am, you both know it will be far too late.”

Moments after he’d said that, both their horns had sprouted wings and quacked away.

As an illusionist it was necessary to have a creative imagination. Luna knew her contributions to the School of Illusion were many. So in using her imagination she’d taken those words with a grain of salt, and like her sister considered those words to be nothing more than Discord’s games.

Without creativity illusions could not be flexible, they lacked the finesse to be versatile, could not trick the eye if one focused too much on the rules, the hows and whys; so she'd taken her doubt, her envy, her paranoia, and concerns and ignored them. She'd ignored them by giving them a different role and would have continued to do so for all of time.

Then Accord had shown up and said something quite similar in line with his counterpart, and it had shaken her on some level she never truly realized.

Perhaps that too had been her own way of ignoring what was wrong.

Even now as these seconds stretched into a minute --as the only sounds that could be heard were crickets, the only feeling of cold air and the thick sense of tension growing-- Nightmare Moon was aware of the mysterious problem that plagued them and the problem that was also the root of her desire for control.

During a failed patrol she would have thoughts that made her question herself, her efforts, her position when she had to tell families how their son (or even rarer, daughter) had died and it had been under her watch. Soon enough those questions began turning to everything she thought she knew to be true.

During the night when the stars aligned and she'd crafted such beauty, only to see many had dispersed back to their beds. Forcing her to question if perhaps she was not reaching out to the public enough. If perhaps she were at fault or if they were just ignorant to her efforts.

She watched Cartwheel’s confused expression and studied as his eyes turned to the army waiting for his freedom but hesitating at the odd turn of events that had just taken place. A question no one had expected when something else entirely would be warranted from the bad guy about to lose when pushed in a tight corner.

Here she was, out of her element, losing the battle, not in control or the imposing figure she expected them to see. But here she was, tipping the control back into her hoof. A question that had never been asked before, because it was too instilled in culture at this point to bother thinking over. How were the princess any different from the nobles that held serfs and peasants up in the mountains, miles from here?

In times like these it was important to maintain control.

Nightmare Moon knew this well. It was Luna’s primary rule, their primary rule to always be in control and never let any easy weakness be known. Just like how her question had thrown them all for a loop, she was planning an out. An escape or a means to tip things back into her favor.

“I took an oath”, the private stated, “to serve and protect Princess Celestia till I could no longer draw breath. That oath was not to just one princess, though I serve one now, but to both Princesses and all of Equestria.”

Both Princesses, the words caused the magic surrounding Cartwheel to flicker.

“One of whom you killed.” Private Cartwheel finished with a tone of resigned anger.

Blinking rapidly twice, Nightmare Moon processed the answer and then without a word, turned, and with a slight nod of her head, sent Private Cartwheel flying towards his allies.

“He will live.” The Nightmare stated, just as several unicorns caught the bruised trooper.

“Be thankful for his reply.” Nightmare Moon stated and as she did her body flickered, broke, and became a gas of stardust and light. “It has spared your lives.” Scattering into billowing violet gas, Nightmare Moon zoomed off towards the castle.

“Halt!” Princess Celestia shouted as her officers began to move after the fleeing enemy. “Return to Sergeant Twist and Commander Flake! Regroup with them and make certain all of our soldiers are accounted for.”

“Princess--”

“Do not argue!” Wings flared out and the captain bowed his head after a moment in acceptance. “Thank you... I must go. Private?” The dazed pegasus did not reply but a hoof did raise in response.

Princess Celestia offered a sad smile before glancing one last time around her. “Protect each other, I will return soon.”

A thunderclap sounded, and Princess Celestia was gone with the wind.

A princess should never lose control, and so she'd always followed her sister's advice and reigned it all in. Only to slip right now and become this form that was neither flesh, muscle or bone.

Nightmare Moon floated and zoomed through the dark in her nebulous gaseous state towards the Everfree Castle. Moving by trees in a blur, slipping past soldiers through the shadows, floating over the gnarled, shrivelled bodies of alien creatures that had once served her while others of unique pegasi proportions lay lost to the living among some of the enemy’s fallen.

Somehow, those words Cartwheel had spoken had caused her to slip and she did not know why.

Floating over the bridge, flying through the yard, entering the castle’s main gates and dropping through the same hole she had created the first day she had appeared, Nightmare Moon entered into the throne room and slipped into the shadows. Waiting for any signs of nearby hoofsteps.

When a sound didn’t emerge she appeared in her nebulous state at the center of the royal hall and then with concentration pulled her form back together becoming solid once again.

Huffing a breath as if she’d just run miles, the Nightmare took a moment to compose herself and as her breath eased she looked around at the royal hall then made her way into the throne room where her throne once sat, but now was broken and Celestia’s stood firm, peppered with cracks only here and there otherwise not any worse.

How many times had she opened court to the masses, only to have no one or barely anypony demand a moment of her attention in these very halls?

Anger bubbled to the surface and that anger gave birth to strength and with a snarled shout, Nightmare Moon pointed her horn at the sky and blew a hole into the roof.

There were times she wondered if things had turned out differently for her and Celestia, what would've happened?

If she had raised the Sun, and Celestia had raised the Moon would things have been different? Would their positions be switched? Would she be standing here, watching her sister in her place just as Celestia watched her now?

Nightmare Moon, the Mare of The Moon, didn't know. She frankly wasn't certain if she even cared. Her breathing steadied, her eyes narrowed, her posture straightened with dilated slits and she watched as Princess Celestia descended in the ominous light cast by the sun blocked by her moon.

All she wanted was what she was due.

All she wanted was to go back to those days of praise and those times where things hadn’t been absolutely dreadful. She wanted so much to be like her sister, but not be her at the same time and in some ways she hated this form she'd taken because even now, it was her just copying her elder.

She hated Celestia oh so much, almost as much as she hated the way her moods shifted and changed. But all she wanted was what she was due. What she rightly deserved.

What the voices told her she could obtain.

Horn flaring, wings spreading, Princess Celestia lightly touched the ground at a distance from the Nightmare and when she landed neither one said a word.

Both were battered from days of battle, both were tired but not nearly as so as their troops, and both wanted something that the other wasn’t willing to give.

“I’ll ask you one final time”, the princess declared “...will you yield?”

Nightmare Moon’s nostrils flared and her face betrayed her as she grinned. “Will you?”

The silence was the only answer either one needed.

“Once you pick this path Luna” -- sharp teeth appeared in the form of a snarl-- “you can’t go back.”

Blasts of crackling purple lightning flew from Nightmare's horn and with skill, Princess Celestia dodged left then right.

“I don’t intend to”, was the only reply.

Flying quickly, moving swiftly, Princess Celestia took off through the same opening in the roof she had entered, a second after she slipped back into the blank night, a scalding blast flew by and from that new roof opening, Nightmare Moon emerged.

Banking right Celestia took off at graceful speed and following right behind her was Nightmare Moon. Shots were fired, shots were returned. She’d miss, then Tia would fire, glancing a blow that barely did much but only because Nightmare Moon knew that on some level, her sister was holding back.

“You flee instead of fighting! This is why I should rule!” The Nightmare yelled.

Back into the castle they went, in a different room on a higher floor. The conference room’s door exploded outward as Celestia broke through and landed on the adjacent wall. Horn glowing a golden light Princess Celestia conjured a shield and a second after a beam of light struck that she reflected right back, only for Nightmare Moon to quickly teleport out of the way as it struck where she had been and turned the stone footing to aged broken pieces that crumbled into the floor below.

Apparating back into the room, Nightmare Moon looked left, saw no Celestia, looked right, saw no Celestia, then looked up to the doom ceiling above and the dim lights ahead.

A blinding flash of light flooded her vision and with shut eyes, Nightmare Moon shouted curses as she tried to clear her vision from the sudden light.

“Over here!”

A flick of her ear and she sent a charged blast forward. Thump, nothing.

“Here!” The voice was at her 6.

Snarling, trying to clear her vision and regain the night vision she was gifted with but seeing nothing but doubles and triples, spots of color and more Nightmare Moon stomped in outrage and sent her anger forward.

Something got destroyed and from the lack of screaming it wasn’t her intended target.

Furious, Nightmare Moon stomped harder like a upset child and the ground cracked dangerously under her immense earth pony strength. She focused, reached out with her telekinesis, feeling around for anything and everything. Tables, cushioned chairs, she flipped them, only growing madder that they were simply in the way.

Pillars, statues, more chairs, other unnecessary things. Pillars she ignored, anything else she flipped because she knew Celestia was here somewhere from the scent of sweat and blood that wasn’t just hers, and a part of her hoped this childish display would somehow work to her favor.

Seconds went by and there was nothing.

Blinking hard, everything shook and came back slowly into focus. The place was a mess and Celestia stood unharmed.

Worst of all she raised her brow in that annoying manner she used to do when they were younger and this did nothing but made them angrier.

“Is that all?”

Furious screaming was Nightmare’s only reply and in an instant she was following Celestia out of the room, back into the sky.

Grabbing at anything she picked up stones, she broke statues, sort of wishing Discord were here instead of in Canterlot, and began chucking them at her sister. Celestia flew like a ballerina, a swan dodging and bobbing. Maybe a stone or a twig or something less damaging would hit but it amounted to nothing if Nightmare Moon could get no satisfaction from seeing the pain.

Like a twister they slammed into another section of the already demolished castle, somewhere further back, deeper into the locations they had ordered to be constructed and then with Melvin the manticore had further developed.

Both sisters shook dust and detrus off, but it was Nightmare Moon who struck first as Celestia quickly moved.

"ENOUGH!" A wall of darkness rose and formed a hundred spiked spearheads, blocking the Princess' path and with a painful, sliding halt she came an inch away from being skewered.

"I will not be lead to my doom, Princess. You will face me here and we will end this once and for all."

Lips pressed firmly, breathing heavy, Princess Celestia eyed the ground and with one final breathless huff, she nodded, shifted and then one hoof came up before swiftly coming down.

In one echoing instant, there was a brief static spark...then several circles flashed a golden bright light that illuminated the ground both Nightmare and Princess stood on. Runes burned a brilliant blue glow, circles brightened with brilliant yellow, the light extended upwards like a transparent wall and in an attempt to break the spell circle being activated, Nightmare Moon's horn glowed; her eyes turned a sickly black, green sparks of diseased greenish yellow flew from her horn and she fired at the core center of the floor where the center of the spell circle lay.

Nothing happened, and when she tried to conjure her magic again, Nightmare Moon's horn only released nothing but a few minor sparks.

"We end this now." Princess Celestia whispered. And right then and there, the spell circle turned white, then the whole floor collapsed. Something that would've been fruitless given they both had wings, if one single bolt of magic didn't suddenly render the Nightmare's wings useless with a paralysis spell of a kind.

Down and down the two tumbled as rubble smashed the floor below with each new cave in, a new opening was made as the sisters fell deeper into the cliff where their castle lay. One floor cracked, the second crumbled, then the third was their last stop and in an effort to free herself from harm, both blinked out of the way only to land into a open, demolished room free from the oncoming rubble.

Dark purple lightning crackled and with a wheezing cough, Nightmare Moon grimaced as her wings twitched, unresponsive to her commands.

Together the sister’s shielded themselves from the gust that came as rubble settled and a part of the sky came into view with both sun and moon.

Looking around, Nightmare Moon realized where they were. It was the Chamber of Harmony. The place Luna and Celestia had built as a vault to protect the and hide the elements of Harmony.

Horn crackling, eyes leaking a misty purple glow, Nightmare Moon fired. Hooves glowing, lips barely moving Celestia clapped her forehooves into the ground and instantly a wall of light emerged from the hooves up and deflected the blast of magic.

Both breathed heavy, both stood on guard.

Watching Celestia slowly rise, fur matted in dirt, scratches, and bruises with nothing but a glare Nightmare Moon scowled. Slit pupils glanced around the partially lit area and then her eyes landed on the statue several yards away.

It was a fused combination of the sun and moon, in the center Nightmare Moon could clearly see Magic, Kindness, and Generosity. But there was no Laughter, Honesty, or Loyalty.

The Nightmare couldn't help but offer a mocking smile. She may never know how her sister managed to get three Elements so quickly, but it didn’t matter. "You lose, Tia." She stated with a manic cackle then she aimed and fired, but was a second too slow.

Magic clashed with magic, two streams of energy collided from two separate horns. The air crackled around the central point of focus as one beam of light pushed into another. Nostrils flaring, teeth clenched, Nightmare horn threw rays of indigo sparks and she poured into her assault barely able to move but maintaining her ground. The beam lurched forward and pushed Celestia at a snail's pace back and back as her ears splayed to the sides and she steadied her focus, feeling a growing ache in her horn.

"Luna!" Her voice a strained cry, "Please!"

"Never", the Nightmare's slit pupils contracted and the mist from her green eyes poured out in writhing waves. Slowly, like a snail, she took a glacier step forward and dropped her silver shod hoof into the dust covered ground with twice the weight behind it. "I will have what is mine Celestia. There is only one way this ends!" She called over the ringing noise.

Eyes flickered to the Elements and Celestia strained as she was pushed back an inch again.

"Choose.” The voice demanded coldly. “Your Kingdom or Your Life!"

The beam pushed back, the ache in Celestia's horn increased to agonizing as one eye winced closed as the battle began to turn. She slid an inch or two further and then the glide came to a awfully slow stop as Nightmare Moon screamed: "CHOOSE!"

Barrel hitching, eyes burning, throat clenching, Celestia found she couldn't breath. The light became blinding as her beam was pushed back effortlessly now and she found that if this was her choice, she would choose death.

"CHOOOSEEE!" Nightmare Moon's voice bellowed in the royal voice and the whole room shook and trembled as the air vibrated and wasps of heat wafted in the air with every second the beams pushed against each other.

"Fine..." Nightmare Moon said in humbled, cold tones. "If you won't choose, I will choose for you."

Closing her eyes, tears slowly trickling, Princess Celestia felt the pain grow as the beam closed in. She couldn't teleport, she couldn't dodge this, she couldn't raise a shield quick enough to block it. If she lost it was over. Whatever Luna had become would win, and if it won...her subjects would suffer.

If she could just reach the elements, if she could just stretch her concentration out to the one she needed most, she could turn the tide and stop the madness.

But wish all she wanted, they did not come flying from their closed constraints. Useless, lifeless, un-moving the Elements sat there. Doing nothing to provide the only window she could find.

"Goodbye, Celestia." The chilling whisper touched her ears as the searing heat began to burn with blinding light into her closed eyes.

“Goodbye, Luna.”

With a pained cry of emotion, Celestia's eyes blazed white, and in a searing explosion of blinding light, everything went white.

Epilogue: The Spear of The Stars

Princess Celestia moved slowly, a careful trot as she limped forward in the daylight of her Sun.

It had been six weeks since it all came to an end and not a day went by did she not go without regret on how things had come to their conclusion. So many lives lost. So much to work through since she had announced Princess Luna’s appearance and the sacrifice she made in defeating the Alicorn known as Nightmare Moon.

A ceremony had been held in honor of Princess Luna and a statue had been made and commissioned in her honor to be hosted in Canterlot at some unknown point in time. Rumors would have it one day, the lost Princess would return while others claimed she had already long since been gone the day that monster had appeared.

Celestia had decided to let the pieces fall where they may be while she held kept herself busy.

The dead were still being accounted for. So many lives had been lost and simply thinking about it made Princess Celestia shiver with revolution and shame as well as fill with sadness at how much of an impact this would have on the country. The day the sun had returned was the same day many had cursed the name Nightmare Moon and even now Celestia wished she could do so also, but not if it meant cursing her sister as well.

Turning to the guards that escorted her to the bridge Princess Celestia offered her little soldiers a comforting smile, and gently touched the two unicorn guards that had joined her from one free wing.

“Thank you for coming Sergeant Twist.” She smiled as her wing moved away.

The bruised stallion offered a smile and said nothing as he nodded. The gash across his throat would make certain he’d never talk again but at least he still knew how to smile during these tough times.

“Princess?”

Rising to her full height Princess Celestia looked at the pale blue pegasus with lime green eyes. “Yes, Specialist Cartwheel?”

Rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof the former First Class blushed then coughed into a hoof as he looked back at the Princess with a more serious expression. “Will you um, really be alright?”

The look of surprise on Celestia’s face did not go unnoticed and almost instantly Specialist Cartwheel Drag got nudged roughly in the ribs by Sergeant Twist for talking out of turn. With a grunt he stomped his hoof and raised a withering glare at the former private.

“Wha-- OW!” He jumped, “Sir?”

Unable to speak but certainly able to gesture Sergeant Twist tapped with his hoof on the ground to get his point across, a feat that only confused the pegasus even more as he clearly had no idea what was being said.

Lemon Twist realizing this decided to try using a stick to get his point across in the mud with writing. Picking one up, he began to write, till the stick broke.

Frustrated he tossed it aside and threw a hoof at Specialist Cartwheel, pointing at him then Celestia.

Commander Flake, the co-driver of the chariot that brought the unicorns here moved from his mount and raised a brow at what was happening, saying nothing.

Lemon Twist scowled and seemed to grab another stick in an attempt to try again, only for it to break also after the first stroke.

He huffed, now realizing that this was going to be far tougher than he thought.

Cartwheel looked at one of Sergeant Twist’s officers, a stallion just a few years older than him. Somehow hoping this unicorn would understand what was going on-- aaaaaand the unicorn behind the older stallion merely shook his head with a equally confused shrug.

Suddenly exploding into laughter Princess Celestia’s sudden laugh caught all the guards off guard as they watched their divine monarch smile in a way they hadn’t in a long while even after Nightmare Moon’s defeat. And in some way, it put them all at ease. She’d been preoccupying herself with nothing but work since the system had suddenly switched from diarchy to monarchy and many of the nobles had whispered word to some of the officers that there was concern Celestia might fall under too much stress.

“Uhhh, P-Princess?” Before he could say much more Specialist Cartwheel Drag found himself dragged into a tight embrace, one that made him freeze instantly for touching his all powerful monarch in such a rare display of affection and no sooner had the contact started did it end almost as quickly.

“Thank you, all of you.” Princess Celestia said with a warm smile as she looked at her silly officers. “I think after this, I feel a bit better about coming back here. Don’t worry Specialist” a wing gently brushed the younger officer. “I think I’ll be fine now.”

An ear twitched at a distant sound as Celestia stared up at the massive tower that seemed to go past the clouds and into the stars.

The tower was thin, long, black like ink and carried numerous numerical patterns across its surface. The surface of it was smooth, and it glinted like a blade in the warm daylight giving it a polished and clean finish that reflected nothing back save for oddly the light. As Celestia stared at these patterns she noticed how some had a similar resemblance to the alchemical patterns the Chamber of Harmony had once held on its floor.

“Its beautiful, isn’t it?” came a deep yet warm voice.

Celestia’s ears raised and her tail flicked casually. Not at all alarmed or surprised at the sound of this familiar voice.

“...It is”, she smiled sadly without looking at her companion. “You did a fine job Weyland.”

The minotaur smiled a sincere smile. “Thank you Ilios.” Soon though, his smile turned somber as he looked back to the tower before them.

“I...I must say, I doubted you.”

“Oh?” The minotaur responded as he rubbed his silver beard.

Smiling sheepishly, Celestia looked at the minotaur that towered her by a full foot and she couldn’t help but look away as the gold brown minotaur stared at her with a raised silver brow. “I suppose it was impolite of me to not trust you all after you’d found Magic so quickly for me. I also never got to thank Cria for her help finding the rest of the Elements. Nor you for helping me with the Chamber or the others with their aide in all of...” she trailed off, eyes wide almost at a loss of what to say.

Waving a hand in dismissal, Weyland’s smile returned. “Bah, it is nothing Ilios. Think nothing of it. We do what must be done for the good of all. Be wary though, there are only so many times we can intervene like this again. From what Taurin says, father was busy on the other side of the world during the time your Sun was absent. You know as well as Star Swirl--”

“Yes”, Celestia’s ears splayed and her posture slightly slumped with her sigh. “There are rules. And if we are to keep things stabilized we must be more careful.”

“I couldn’t have said it better, my friend.” Weyland responded.

Birds chirped happily in the distance and Weyland could not help but look around. “Tell me, what do you plan to call it?” He finally asked.

“What?” Celestia asked in surprise, something Weyland did not take notice of immediately.

“The tower, surely you plan to name it after your sister, yes?”

Mouth opening to respond Princess Celestia found she couldn’t. Looking back at the tower she looked back at Weyland once, a wing twitched as she looked back to the distant Everfree Castle, then turning without a word, Princess Celestia headed to her old castle, limping as she moved..

“Ilios?” The minotaur called from the ground. “Where are you going?” He asked louder the further she got.

Celestia did not reply. In fact half way up the slope her horn glowed and she teleported.

Getting comfortable in the demolished throne room, Princess Celestia looked at the ever stretching tower.

“Ilios?” Celestia did not respond.

“Was...was it something I said Ilios?” The minotaur asked, now concerned. But what should’ve been more concerning was a minotaur who could ride atop clouds of unnatural glowing light that was in the form of some chariot, tethered to a strange winged creature. A creature that licked its chops with a thin tongue and bathed Celestia in warm air as it breathed on her before the energy based entity disappeared with the chariot as the minotaur patted its side and moved towards the Princess.

“No”, Celestia replied as she stared at the distant, pencil thin tower that continued to stretch upwards for miles, almost as if it was an illusion of its own. Then after a second she sighed and conceded with, “...maybe.” Only because she herself wasn't quite certain if it was completely his fault.

“I apologize”, Weyland tried. Celestia could only offer a sad smile to her companion, knowing it wasn’t his intention.

“I really did not mean to offend you Ilios, surely you understand? I was just excited is all. It’s… it’s been awhile since anyone has commissioned anything from me-- even if this wasn’t a commission so much as your plea and my offer to help-- I suppose I just got too excited to see the final result. My apologies, I spoke out of turn to you…” shimmering gold eyes looked to the tower, “and to your sister.”

Leaning in nuzzling the oaf, Celestia sighed. Sitting in the demolished space that was once her throne room, a castle that was going to be quarantined from the public with a new one in Canterlot that had been completed three weeks ago, yet of all the places she was at this moment it was up in a cloud with an enigmatic minotaur who could perform feats of magical craftsmanship not even Star Swirl could perform with all his transmutation skill.

Then again, Star Swirl never really was one for labor work unless it meant studying magic theory and application.

“I forgive you”, she smiled. Both at the thought of her old friend and mentor, and the apology offered.

“I thank you Ilios.” The minotaur said in turn as he offered a returning hug, careful of the Princess’ injuries. The two watched over the collapsed wall of the throne room, looking towards the tower that stretched for miles and miles, never ending, always going. Almost like the world had grown a horn and this was its way of showing it.

“Is it natural for it to do what it does at night?” Celestia inquired.

“You mean...the mark? The one after you defeated Nightmare Moon?”

The princess nodded although her eyes never moved from the tower.

“It will happen every night I’m afraid. Whenever the moon is full, it will appear. When I designed that trap for you, it was a last resort method.” Celestia nodded, so he continued. “I designed it specifically based around what I understood of your sister's magic from what your element had told me. I will not fault you however, your sister is perfectly contained. Magic was required to activate the trap but to make it work properly you needed powerful magic. I’m glad you followed our advice.”

“I would’ve done so without hesitation. It’s better this way than the alternative.”

Frowning at those words Weyland reached out and gently scratched behind Celestia’s ear. An action that made her whicker, which simply made the minotaur chuckle as she leaned into his touch. “I do apologize for your loss though Ilios. I wish there was a way my brothers and sisters could help you with this. I know our elders, especially father will not be so willing but…”

Reaching out with her wingtip Celestia prodded the minotaur’s side. “You and the others have done enough, thank you for everything.”

Weyland smiled. “We do what we can. We are not omnipotent but we try to do what must be done….has Accord?”

Celestia frowned. “No, I haven’t seen him in awhile since his visit a decade prior. I hope nothing terrible has happened but”, she turned back to the tower. “I suppose I will have my plate full for quite some time also.”

“Mmm”, the minotaur hummed in agreement. “I would advise you keep an eye out for those followers of Frengari.”

“Oh I shall, don’t worry.”

The two turned back to the tower. Watching it in pleasant silence for a time till Celestia’s ears perked as something came to mind.

“Star Spear.”

“Hm?” Weyland inquired more with his expression than with his words.

“We’ll call the tower Star Spear.” Celestia said with a smile.

Rubbing his chin the Minotaur chewed on it. It wasn’t a bad name but, “Why Star Spear?”

“Look at it.” Celestia gestured with a wise smile and gentle nod. “At night you can barely see it stretch out into the clouds and disappear into the sky. And it always seems to shed something close to my sister’s mark no matter where I put the moon. In the day like now, it reaches out clearly and if you wanted, you might think it could reach for the sun. The spear to touch the stars.”

“The spear that touches the stars”, Weyland mumbled as his face scrunched in thought. He grinned, “I love it!”

Celestia smiled as she looked at the tower where her sister lay. Banished and exiled she may be, but she hoped at least in the tower she would be safe from harm till the time was right and the right bearers were found. Till then, she’d have to do her job and try to manage things till Luna returned.

“Star Spear”, Weyland said the words again. “Brilliant!”

Smiling as a feather brushed a tear away Princess Celestia nodded. “Thank you, I think so to.”

Author's Note

It goes without saying that this ending is vastly different from how things are depicted in the show. There's going to be quite a number of differences with not just events but characters as well in this universe, all of which I'm still planning.

Initially I planned on just ending it on Chapter 3. Then I thought how in future stories if I ever referenced this tower, no one would have a clue what I was referring to. So I thought it'd be better to just add this in as a filler.

Overall, my next story is probably going to be focusing on Twilight and if you all picked up on anything particularly odd or different from previous chapters I've actually hinted on a few things that will be different about her story wise.

In conclusion, hoped you guys enjoyed this and as always lemme know if there are any mistakes.