Cult of Luna

Chapters

An Historic Mission
Arrival in Ilswich
A Filly's Praise
Celestia vs. Nightmane
Princess Problems
A Cult's Determination
A Filly's Discovery
A Filly's Help
Breaking the Bonds
Epilogue: What Friendship Means

An Historic Mission

Author's Note

Hey, everyone! I have to get to work today, so I probably won't be putting up another chapter in "The Robbery of The Canterlot Mint" until tonight. But I didn't want to leave y'all hanging, so here's part one of an older FanFiction story I wrote about six or seven months ago. As stated in the description, I'm still transferring a lot of my older stuff onto this platform, so please bear with me as I do so. With that being said, happy reading and I hope you enjoy it!

An Historic Mission

Twilight awoke with a start. It was the middle of the night. The moon shone through her window, causing the objects in her chambers to become encased in a frightening shadow. Their silhouettes assaulted her eyes and she shuddered. She lay back down and tried to return to sleep, but the haunting memory of those shadows ran all throughout her mind. They plagued her dreams and would not allow her to return to a peaceful slumber.

She tossed and turned and wished that the night would end. But time was not her friend. It seemed to drag on and on. She looked at the small digital clock beside her bed. 1:15 A.M…1:17 A.M…1:20 A.M. UGH! She groaned to herself, this night is so slow, I swear Nightmare Moon has returned and made the night last forever again! She tossed some more and tried to get comfortable, but to no avail. Her bed seemed to be made out of a solid board.

Having no luck in sleep, she decided to get up and read for a while. So she lit up her room and picked out one of her favorite books. It was one her brother used to read to her when she was a filly. "Ah," she said out loud, "The Fascinating Tale of Princess Magenta. This always used to lull me to sleep. Maybe it'll do the same for me now." So she opened it up and began reading. It was a filly's book, so the level of vocabulary wasn't quite at her own, but she still enjoyed it.

It told the story of a kind princess who found a secret tower, and in that tower, she concocted a magic brew that could cure any ailment. She went around town and gave the cure to anypony who needed it. But then, an evil sorceress found out about it and wanted to usurp the cure for her own devious purposes. In the end, the princess won and the sorceress was banished from the land forever. Magenta also fell in love with a poor pauper pony, and turned him into the new prince of the land.

Twilight smiled as she reminisced about her mother, father, and brother all reading the story to her when she was young. She remembered how they would act out the story for her, and sometimes she would get involved. She would play Magenta, and her brother would play the pauper pony. She would run into his arms and give him a big hug and he would say to her, "you'll always be my princess, Twily." She wiped a small tear from her eye. She missed her brother, sister-in-law, and little niece so much. They had gone on a year-long trip around the world and they wouldn't be back for 6 more months.

Suddenly, as she was thinking these things, her flank lit up. "The Cutie Map!" She said as she raced from the room. She bounded down the stairs and ran into the castle's throne room. Sure enough, her cutie mark was hovering over a spot in the far north of Equestria. But there were three other cutie marks hovering there as well. Twilight's mouth fell open as she recognized them. Her eyes grew wide and she absentmindedly pointed with her hoof. One cutie mark was a beautiful crystal, the second was a mysterious, yet wondrous crescent moon, and the third was a radiant sun.

"Th-th-th-th…THOSE ARE CADANCE, LUNA, AND CELESTIA'S CUTIE MARKS!" She suddenly screamed.

A few seconds later, Spike came running into the room. "Twilight! What happened?! Are you okay?! Is there trouble?!"

Twilight shook and nodded. She pointed at the map again. Spike looked and his mouth fell open as well. "What on Earth are their cutie marks doing floating on our map?! I mean, they don't get called for friendship missions…do they?"

"I don't know, Spike," Twilight said, regaining her composure, "but I do know this. The map has summoned all four princesses to help resolve a friendship problem. Do you know how absolutely historic and utterly monumental this is?!"

"Somewhat…" said the tired dragon as he yawned. "Look, I'm gonna go back to bed. But, I'm glad that you're getting to participate in something so absolutely historic."

"Spike, wait!" Twilight said. The dragon stopped and turned, waiting for his best friend to speak. "Stay here with me, please. I may need your assistance." Spike groaned. Normally, he'd be happy to stay with her, but at 2:00 in the morning? That was asking a little too much.

"Twilight, please. I'm exhausted. Don't forget we reorganized your entire library yesterday."

"I know, Spike, but this is urgent! Nopony outside of my friends has ever been called by the map before, let alone my fellow princesses! I've got to send letters to all of them, and I need your help!"

"Oh, alright," Spike said reluctantly.

Over the next couple of hours, he and Twilight wrote and edited letters to the three princesses. When this task had been accomplished, he quickly sent them off and announced with great bombastic flair that he was exhausted and that Twilight had kept him up way too long and that he was returning to bed, whether she liked it or not. Normally, she would have scolded him for speaking that way, but it was 4 in the morning and she figured he had done his due diligence to her. So she simply nodded and the dragon returned to his room.

But she couldn't sleep. Now her night wasn't plagued by nightmares, but it was enraptured with wonder and inquiry. Why had the map called all four princesses? To where did it call them? What would the friendship problem be and how would they solve it? It must have been fairly significant for the map to summon all four princesses to the area. All she knew was that it was in the far northern part of the country, even farther north than The Crystal Empire. Soon, her inquisitive mind began to tire and she fell asleep on the table.

At about 11:00 that morning, she was shaken awake by a pair of rough hooves. "Alright! Alright! I'm awake! Patience is a virtue, you know!" She said in annoyance. She had finally been able to get some sleep, and now somepony had the nerve to wake her. She turned and prepared to lecture the pony on the value of sleep and how some royal ponies got very little of it. But then she saw that the unwanted help came from Princess Celestia.

"Oh…Celestia, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to snap!"

Celestia chuckled. "That's alright, Twilight. I understand how hard it is to sleep, especially as a royal pony. We're always so busy." Twilight nodded in agreement. But then Celestia's look turned concerned. "I received your letter just as my flank began…um…flashing. Luna's with me as well, and her flank is doing the same thing. I can't imagine why your map has called the four of us, and I don't know how Cadence is going to join us. They're halfway around the world by now!"

"She'll make it, I'm sure," Twilight said, "but I'm glad that you and Luna are here. Now we can get started on our journey."

"We figured you might say that, so we went ahead and packed up our saddlebags. Thankfully, you mentioned in your letter that we were going to the far north. So, we packed very warmly."

"Good," Twilight said, "I'll pack my own things and be right back."

So Twilight dashed off to pack her bags and begin yet another adventure. She never told anypony, but she always secretly hoped her flank would begin flashing and send her somewhere. She loved the adventure of it all, but more than that, she loved helping ponies solve their friendship problems. Now, she would be at it again. But this time, she would have her fellow princesses by her side. Excitement filled her heart as she packed her things. This is sure to be the best adventure yet, she told herself.

Arrival in Ilswich

In the chilly recesses of the Hoofalayas, there lay the small town of Ilswich. In case you're wondering why the town name isn't some kind of play on what a horse or pony might do, that's because the name comes from old Horsewegian. It means "place of ice," and if ever there was a befitting moniker for a town, then this one held it. It was at the base of a tall mountain, and the winds constantly blew there. In fact, it was often rumored among the northernmost citizens of Equestria that the wind blew so hard there that the ponies had to wear weights to keep themselves from lifting off the ground. While this was nothing more than a rumor, it was true that the citizens of Ilswich had to take extra precautions against the wind.

So it was that they hardly ever saw the sun. Their weather consisted of snow and blizzards almost all year round, and it was only at night that they were able to see by the light of the moon. They came to adore that round, white orb. It guided their paths and led them in their nightly searches for different plants to make medicine and poultices out of. It shone through their homes and touched their children. It was said among them that, whenever a filly or colt's mane was bathed in the moonlight, their dreams would become sweeter than honey.

It was into this environment that the three princesses, exhausted from their journey, now entered. They had no idea what to expect. Ilswich was one of the most remote towns in Equestria. Nopony ever visited there, not even Celestia. No extensive research had ever been done on the town or its inhabitants, because nopony had ever cared about it. It just sat there among the snowdrifts and its citizens went about their daily lives. Truth be told, they were just fine with that. They kept to themselves and didn't like to be bothered much. They never caused trouble and never hurt anypony. They never threw any parties or had any festivals. So nopony had ever really traveled there.

Twilight shivered as she stood amidst the frozen wasteland. The snow whipped around them, pushed and pulled by the commands of the howling wind. She was wearing her warmest clothing, but even that did no good against the penetrating chill. I should've bought some clothing that was rated for colder weather, she thought regretfully. But she doubted that even clothes that had been dipped in flaming hot liquid could repel the cold here.

She looked up and saw that Celestia and Luna were also shivering. "Celestia, you need to talk with Cloudsdale about the weather up here! It's horrid!" Luna said through chattering teeth. Celestia turned and gave her sister an odd look. "You know darn well Cloudsdale doesn't control the weather this far north! The magic barrier prevents them from doing so!"

"I thought the magic barrier protected Equestria," Twilight said, "…are we still in Equestria?"

"Technically, yes," Celestia said, "Ilswich is part of Equestrian territory. But when they built it, they wanted to be as far away from everypony as possible."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I issued them a permit!"

"Oh…" Twilight said, nodding. That would make sense. Ilswich was one of the oldest towns in Equestria, so it fell to reason that Celestia would have issued them a permit thousands of years before that. "So…how old is Ilswich?" She asked.

"2,597 this year," Celestia responded, "it's almost as old as I am!" She added with a small chuckle. But nopony could hear her laugh. The wind was howling too much and they were having to shout to be heard.

"We need to find somewhere and make camp until Cadance gets here!" Twilight said. The royal sisters nodded and all three began looking for a cave of some sort where they could stay warm and dry. But it wasn't an easy search. Snow blinded them and they stumbled around a bit, trying to stay upright. Twilight walked over to one of the small notches in the mountain and tried her luck. Thankfully, she was able to find a small cave and they settled in. After Twilight used her magic to build a fire, they all lay on their stomachs around it and talked about what their friendship problem could be.

Suddenly, a flash illuminated the room. The three princesses shut their eyes tightly until the light faded and then snapped them open. They all smiled as they recognized Cadence, who had teleported herself there from halfway around the world. "WOW!" Twilight said in shock, "I had no idea teleportation worked from so great a distance!"

Cadence nodded. "It took me a few tries. First I teleported to Saddle Arabia, then Yak-Yak-Istan, then Mareitonia, but I finally got the right spell put in place and made it here. I'm so happy to see all of you!" She stepped forward and embraced her aunts Celestia and Luna and followed that up with her ritualistic "sunshine, sunshine" chant with Twilight before hugging her.

"How's the trip around the world going?" Luna asked. "It's definitely going," Cadence said. The other three princesses couldn't help but detect a note of depression in her voice. "Cadence," Twilight said, "I'm so sorry we had to pull you away from that." Cadence put her hoof up. "No, Twilight. Don't be sorry. Please, don't. I'm actually glad to get away from it. I mean, Flurry's having the time of her life and it fills my heart with joy to see that, but Shining and I…well…we're going through a rough patch."

"Cadence," Celestia said in shock, "I didn't know you were having marital problems."

"I still love Shining Armor very much," she said, "and I don't want our family to be torn apart. But…for some reason here lately, we just can't seem to stop fighting."

Twilight stepped forward and put a comforting hoof around her sister-in-law. "It's OK, Cadence," she said, "couples fight, but I know that you and Shining Armor have a true love and that's what will win in the end." She smiled at Cadence, who reflected the gesture. "Thanks, Twilight. I needed to hear that. Maybe we just need to sit down and talk about our problems in a respectful and mature manner."

The other princesses nodded and Celestia yawned. "I am absolutely exhausted. From the looks of things, I think you all are as well. I think we should sleep here tonight and then head into town in the morning." This idea was easily agreed upon by the others, so after Luna caused the moon to rise, they all went to sleep. However, Luna stayed awake to perform her nightly duties.

The next morning, they arose to a pleasant surprise. When Celestia caused the sun to appear, it shone down on a crystalline wonderland. The fresh snow glistened in its light, and different flakes became crystals of brilliance. The four princesses all gazed in wonder, mouths agape. "Whoa," Cadence breathed, "it's absolutely beautiful!" The other three nodded, the sheer magnitude shocking them to complete silence. "As much as I hate to disturb such a wondrous scene," Celestia said, "we must make haste for Ilswich." The others nodded and packed up their saddlebags.

It wasn't a long walk to the remote village and they made good time. It helped that the wind had died down a bit and, in a rare occurrence, it wasn't snowing. When they arrived in the town, they found a long, sprawling set of cottages spread out over four or five streets. The town also had a small bank, a general store, and a town hall. But there was also a mysterious building sitting at the very edge of the village.

The place appeared to be deserted. Twilight stepped over to the General Store and found the door shut tight with a sign that said "gone to meeting. Back in two hours." The other three princesses walked up and stood beside her. They examined the sign and tried to figure out what kind of a meeting the storekeeper could be attending.

"Aside from the appalling grammar," Twilight said, "what do you think it means?"

"I couldn't tell you," Celestia said, "I didn't know they held any type of meeting this far north."

"Do you think they have ambassadors from Yak-Yak-Istan?" Cadence asked, "I mean, it's only a few trots away from here."

"Maybe…" Celestia said, "but if there are ambassadors, then why didn't they come and see us?"

"Maybe this climate is more to their liking," Luna remarked. The other three nodded and agreed with this sentiment. They walked down the steps and back onto the main thoroughfare. "Well," Twilight said, "I guess we'll just have to wait for whoever this is to get back from their meeting. In the meantime, we can explore and try and figure out what our friendship problem is."

They all agreed with this suggestion, and proceeded to spread out around the village. Luna began her search at the bank, where she found another note about a "meeting." Celestia looked at the town hall, and another note was found. Cadance and Twilight went cottage by cottage, looking for ponies, but finding none. They did, however, find note after note about this "meeting."

The four princesses all regrouped in the center of town. "Just how big is this meeting anyway?" Twilight asked, "I mean, everypony and their brother seems to be at it!" Just as the other three were nodding their heads at this, a small filly ran by them. "I'm late! I'm late!" She called out as she flew by.

"Excuse me, young one?!" Twilight asked in a hurry. The filly turned and faced them. Her eyes scanned them over until she got to Luna. Then her mouth fell open. Her shocked look quickly turned into one of egregious ecstasy. "You…you're…YOU'RE PRINCESS LUNA!" She shouted. She ran forward and threw herself at Luna's hooves. She began kissing them. "Oh, most royal and gracious Princess Luna! The sustainer of our world! Thy coming hath been foretold for generations, and now you're here! You're here! Finally! You really have heard my prayers! I worship thee and only thee, Princess Luna!"

Twilight tapped Cadence on the shoulder. Cadence turned and gave her a shocked look, which Twilight returned. They didn't have to say anything. Everything was falling into place. It was as obvious as if they were hit on the head with a stone. They had found their friendship problem.

A Filly's Praise

Before any of them could stop her, the young filly began singing a song in a strange dialect and dancing around Luna. "Uh, pardon me," the confused princess said, "but what are you doing?" The filly stopped and gave Luna a curious look. "Why, I'm doing the Moon Dance and singing the great anthem of our goddess, the almighty Princess Luna!"

"The Almighty…" Luna said as her voice trailed off in shock. She didn't know what to think. This little filly worshipped her? But she wasn't worthy of worship! She just raised the moon and helped rule Equestria. She certainly wasn't a goddess of some sort. She wasn't even immortal, she just lived for an extended period due to the Alicorn magic inside her. She had been born, and she would die just like any other pony.

The other three princesses gave the filly the same look. "Um, what is your name, little one?" Celestia asked. The filly stopped and gave Celestia a murderous look. "My name is Moonlight, not that it's any concern of yours," she said rudely. Celestia was taken aback. Nopony ever dared to speak to her that way. "Now, listen here, young filly," she said, "I am a princess of Equestria, and I wish to be addressed with the correct amount of decorum. I don't typically get upset about such things, but I won't tolerate rude behavior!"

"I will behave however I wish in your presence," the filly said defiantly, "the only pony here that I bow to and praise is Princess Luna. The Book of Luna, Chapter 5, Verse 33: 'Luna is great and worthy of praise. She shall cast her sister, the snake whom banished her to the great orb in the sky, into the lake of fire.' I wouldn't want to be you, Princess Celestia." She said Celestia's name in a mocking tone and spat at her hooves.

"Now, see here, young filly…" Celestia began in a rage, but Twilight held her up. "Celestia, she's just a filly!"

"I don't care! Nopony speaks to me that way! Nopony!"

"Please, Celestia," Twilight begged, "go easy on her."

Celestia sighed and gave in as she realized her former student was right. After all, this was a very young pony, and the youngest of ponies could be easily indoctrinated with lies. But nothing about this made any sense to her. Why on earth was this filly so infatuated with Luna? Why did she believe her to be a goddess of some sort?

She stepped forward and put a hoof around Moonlight. "Moonlight, was it? I'm sorry that I had to get that way with you, but…"

The filly squeaked and threw Celestia's hoof off her. "The Book of Luna, Chapter 17, Verse 25: 'And she shall murder the fillies and cause fire to rain down from the putrid star of the heavens. But marvelous works shall Princess Luna cause to be performed in your midst in the defeat of the sniveling snake!'"

Twilight stepped forward to try and calm the seething child. "Moonlight, my name is Princess Twilight, but you can call me Twilight. I'm the Princess of Friendship. Please, let me help. I don't know what you're quoting from, but…"

"The Book of Luna, Chapter 13, Verse 25: 'beware of the timber wolf in a pony's coat, for she works for the snake. She shall come to you in friendship, but beware, for underneath her smile lies the heart of a true demon!'"

Twilight backed away in shock. Was this little filly speaking about her? She had nothing but the truest intentions! She wanted to help this filly. Yep, she said to herself, this is definitely our friendship problem. "Listen, young one, please. I just want to help you."

"HA!" The filly squeaked, "a likely story! I don't know why Princess Luna is traveling with you…" here she stopped and gasped, "YOU'VE TAKEN HER HOSTAGE! Just as it was foretold by my father, our most wonderful and amazing Moon Priest! YOU'VE TAKEN HER! THE END OF THE WORLD IS NIGH!"

With these words, she began thrashing about wildly. The four princesses quickly surrounded and restrained the disconcerted filly. Moonlight didn't want to go quietly, but she had no choice. They had her in a strong grip. She tried to cry out for help, but Twilight used her magic to gently keep her mouth closed. They didn't want to hurt the filly, but they wanted to find out just what all this was about.

"Luna," Celestia said, "she only seems to respond to you. Please, ask her."

"Moonlight," Luna said softly as the other three gently released her, "what is all this?"

"This? What do you mean, oh most gracious and merciful Princess? I am but a dumb Earth pony who has no idea what you are speaking of."

"No! Stop!" Luna suddenly said sharply. "Stop what, Your Highness?" The filly responded as she bowed low and prostrated herself profusely. "This! This isn't how I'm used to being treated, and I know you're not a dumb Earth pony!"

"You…you mean I'm…smart? Your Majesty, forgive me a million times for contradicting you but…you're the only smart pony in the land! Our books clearly state this. All other ponies are the equivalent of intellectual jars of mud in your presence!"

Luna sighed as she put a hoof around the young one. "Moonlight, you have to stop belittling yourself. Otherwise, you'll never make any friends!"

"Friends? Friends are but the timber wolves of the land, unleashed by that false prophetess over there!" Here she pointed at Twilight, who took a couple steps back. "Oh, and don't even get me started on the daughter of Celestia, that pink one there, the AntiLuna!" Here, she pointed at Cadance.

Now, the princesses were really starting to worry. Moonlight kept referring to "we" and "our" when she shouted all of these odd things. Did everypony in Ilswich take this as seriously as little Moonlight did? She was just a filly! Imagine what a full grown pony who was indoctrinated with this rubbish would do.

"Moonlight," Luna went on, "may I see this Book of Luna?"

The filly nodded in excitement. "Of course, oh most gracious and beauteous Princess! Please, give me a moment. I shall fetch one and I shall bring my father to meet you! Oh, happy day! The glory of Princess Luna truly hath touched our town, as it has been foretold. Oh, happy day!"

The filly ran off towards the mysterious building at the end of town. She burst through the doors. The four princesses gave each other curious looks, but said nothing. A few seconds later, there was the sound of a great cheer. Suddenly, the doors to the building were thrown open and a crowd of ponies, young and old, came streaming out. They ran forward until they got within a respectable distance of Luna, then suddenly stopped and bowed in respect. Luna bowed back, as was the respectful tradition when meeting friends or dignitaries, but they didn't rise.

"Um…" the princess said, "you may arise." Instantly, they all jumped to their hooves. "HAIL PRINCESS LUNA!" They all shouted at once. To be frank, Luna was frightened by all the show. My goodness, she said to herself, I know I'm a princess and I'm used to being greeted with pomp and circumstance, but this is overkill! "Uh, thank you for your kind…welcome," she stammered out. The ponies all cheered. "The mighty and merciful Princess is pleased with our welcome," one of them shouted, "let us rejoice in her light!" So they all began dancing and singing like Moonlight had been.

Suddenly, they all hushed as another pony made his way through the crowd. His coat was white and he had a jet black mane. He stood in front of Luna and bowed low. Luna bowed back, but, like the others, he didn't rise. "Um, please arise. I'm not going to harm you."

"Oh, most wonderful, gracious, and merciful Princess, who created the heavens, the earth, the sun, and the moon. I know you shall not harm me, for I walk in thy paths and do thy bidding throughout our town and in the world beyond. When I pass, I hope that thou art there to guide me to my immortal home on your wondrous moon."

Luna turned and gave the other three princesses a stunned look. They returned it. Who was this pony and why did he think he was going to live on the moon when he died? "Excuse me," Celestia said, "but who exactly are you?"

"I do not have to identify myself to you, snake!" He said harshly, "but at the behest of my beloved Princess Luna and considering the circumstances, I am forced to do so. My name is Nightmane. I am the Priest of the Order of the Moon."

Celestia vs. Nightmane

"The Order of the Moon?" Luna asked in confusion. Nightmane bowed low. "Yes, your most gracious and wondrous Majesty. Now, if it pleases you, we would like to bequeath on you a song written for this very occasion."

"You wrote a song because we came here?"

"No, most Holy one, we wrote a song because YOU came here. Thou, who answers our prayers and delivers us unto a peaceful sleep every night. Thou, who raiseth the moon. Thou, who forevermore shalt be. Amen and amen." "AMEN!" The crowd shouted in response.

Luna looked delirious. She didn't know what was going on. Frankly, she was rather concerned with the mental state of these ponies. She wasn't meant to be worshipped. She was just a princess! She wasn't divine! Yes, she rose the moon, but it took all of her strength just to do so, and it hadn't happened overnight. Yes, she visited dreams, but that had been a magic gift bestowed upon her by Star Swirl the Bearded! She wasn't born with these powers, she either grew into them or was given them.

"Excuse me," Celestia put in, "but we're here to…"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, FOUL DEMON!" Nightmane suddenly screamed. The ponies all stepped back and hissed and whinnied and pawed at the dirt. They were incredibly angry with Celestia's presence there, and they made it known. Their gestures spouted mountains of disrespect towards the Princess. She was infuriated at them. She was the ruler of Equestria, and she was used to being treated a certain way. While she believed strongly in friendship, and would defend it until her last breath, she also believed in the hierarchical structure of Equestrian law and order.

"SILENCE!" Celestia yelled in a voice that made Twilight go completely pale. "Now, see here," Celestia continued in a rage, "I am the co-ruler of Equestria! I will not tolerate rude behavior, either to myself or to my fellow princesses! Your belligerence speaks volumes about your own rebellious nature, and I won't tolerate that either. Now, either you shape up or I'm going to send you all to Tartarus for a few nights!"

The ponies all gasped and backed up further. "You…really are a monster," Nightmane said in shock, "The Most Holy Book of Luna proclaimed that you would be this way, and your actions this day confirm that!"

"Confirm what?!" Celestia said angrily, "your 'book' is full of lies! Luna isn't a goddess! NONE OF US ARE!"

"Oh, we know you aren't. Your sun has been hidden from us for such a long time. We never see it! We praise the mighty and holy Princess Luna for bringing us illumination each night."

"You never see the sun?" Celestia asked as her temper cooled off, "but I make sure that the sun's brilliance reaches every corner of Equestria!"

"Apparently, you don't care about our corner," Nightmane said. He then dared to spit on Celestia's hooves. The white mare gave him a look of shock that quickly transitioned into one of absolute poison. Her voice shook when she spoke. "How dare you question my authority and my leadership and MY SUN RAISING!"

With that, she leapt at Nightmane and knocked him down, pawing at him furiously. Her teeth ground together and there was a wild look in her eyes. Her pupils were completely dilated. They had grown so enormous, that the other three thought they would swallow up her irises. Her veins bulged and her wings flapped in anger.

But Nightmane held his own. He dodged her sharp hooves time after time and rolled away from her. "The Book of Luna, Chapter 9, Verse 27: 'and he shall smite the evil winged creature and plunge her to the fiery depths of hell!'" With that, he charged at Celestia and knocked her over. He got on top of her and began slamming her head back against the dirt. "HOW DARE YOU DEFILE AND BLASPHEME THE HOLY NAME OF PRINCESS LUNA!" He screamed as blood began flowing from the wounds he was creating.

Celestia fought back, using her horn to rip open gouges in the stallion's chest. He howled in pain and got off of her. She got back to her hooves and the two of them stood there panting, eyes deadlocked in a stare of malice and hatred. The other three princesses had stood by, too shocked to do anything about the happening. Is this happening? Twilight asked herself, does Celestia…hate somepony? Is she even capable of feeling that way?

Soon, the two of them broke away from each other and Nightmane walked over to where Luna was standing. "Your most holy Majesty," he said as he bowed, "I have fought off thine sister, who sought and still seeks to do ponies everywhere the greatest of harm. Surely now, thou wouldst accept our worship and praise, for thou alone art worthy of such high honor, laud, and glory."

"No!" Luna suddenly said loudly, "I don't accept any of this!"

"But, your Majesty, we have done everything your holy book commanded us to do!"

"I never wrote any holy book!"

"I know, but through your divine wisdom, you revealed it to your servant, my father, Star Flank. He had a dream that showed him exactly what to write, and behold, it hath come to pass this day. You, our glorious leader and creator, are here, and you have brought the three snakes with you as hostages. EVERYPONY, LISTEN TO MY VOICE! WE SHALL HAVE A GREAT FEAST AND CELEBRATE THE COMING OF OUR BELOVED AND MARVELOUS PRINCESS LUNA, THEN WE SHALL SACRIFICE THESE SNAKES TO APPEASE HER GREAT LUST FOR BLOOD! HAIL LUNA, AND HAIL THE MOON!" "HAIL LUNA!"

The crowd shouted before beginning to cheer loudly. Before any of them could do anything, the four princesses found themselves being transported to wildly different places. Luna was taken into a great house on the other side of town where she was given the finest of their food and drink to partake of. She couldn't help but enjoy the goings on just a little bit, and the food was delicious, but her mind rested with her sister and her friends. She wanted so much to know that they were alright. She knew she had to stop the sacrifice, but she didn't know how.

Meanwhile, the other three princesses were taken to a cave and tossed inside. One of the Order of the Moon's wizards came forward and ripped the magic out of all three of them. They were then tied to the wall and beaten savagely with whips until blood flowed and they all cried in agony. "There!" The evil pony who had beaten them said, "that's what you get for blaspheming the wondrous Princess Luna!" He untied them, posted some guards to watch them, and left.

The three sat in a daze. Their blood pooled around them as they did their best to stop the bleeding. "Oh…" Twilight groaned, "my back hurts!" "I know, Twilight," Celestia said soothingly, "but we must remain brave and diligent for Luna's sake. We've got to find a way out of here and solve this friendship problem."

Princess Problems

Twilight paced around the cave, trying to both find a solution to their dilemma and ward off the searing pain that she experienced. Every hoof step was a struggle, and her back howled in agony as the fresh wounds made their presence known. She grunted and grimaced. "Ugh, I wish they hadn't stolen our magic!" She said in frustration, "then I could cast a healing spell and rid us all of this agony!"

"It's not so bad," Cadance said, trying to keep an optimistic perspective, "I mean, at least they gave us a cave to stay in. A lot of evil tyrants would've just killed us and been done with it."

"Gee, thanks for the encouraging words," Twilight said sarcastically. Cadance was taken aback. Usually, Twilight was way more kind with her. "Well, excuse me for trying to keep a positive outlook on things!"

"Cadance, we're stuck in a cave in the most remote part northern Equestria, we're surrounded by ponies who, for some reason that I have yet to deduce, hate us and worship Luna, and we have no magic. How the hay can you have a positive outlook on things?!"

"It's better than being a muttering mare!"

"I am NOT a muttering mare!"

The two sisters-in-law began arguing louder and louder until Celestia turned and snorted at both of them. "WOULD YOU TWO KINDLY QUIET DOWN?!" She shouted. They turned and gave her an angry look. "Oh, look, it's the Princess of Jealousy!" Twilight said as sarcasm dripped off her words, "maybe if you hadn't been jealous of the attention Luna was receiving, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"How dare you, Twilight?! I am still your superior!"

"My superior at what?! We both rule Equestria equally, so I don't see how you're my superior. I can make laws just as well as you can!"

"Your thing is friendship! Cadance's thing is love! My thing is the sun! Luna's is the moon!"

"Well, it seems to be that we have a lot of things, don't we? By the way, I love the eloquence. It's about as good as your acting!"

Celestia gasped. "We agreed never to speak of that!" Twilight smiled wickedly. She had Celestia right where she wanted her, and she went for the jugular. "Oh, did we? I must have missed that meeting thanks to your horrible scheduling!"

This quip led to a very loud argument among the three of them. Celestia insulted Cadance's ability to spread love to Equestria. Cadance insulted Twilight's intelligence, telling her that she had nothing in her cranial cavity. Twilight took great offense to this and insulted Cadance's commitment to Shining Armor. "My brother deserved so much better than you!" She said as hatred flew like fire from her lips, "in fact, I think I know why he's fighting with you so much. MAYBE HE'S REALIZED THAT YOU WERE NEVER WORTH LOVING!"

Cadance gasped as tears came to her eyes. The insult's barbs penetrated her heart and crushed it. Her beloved sister-in-law just told her she wasn't worth loving. She had foal sat for this mare. She thought she knew her like a book. She loved her, but apparently Twilight's reflection of that love had all been a gigantic lie. She turned away from Twilight and went to a dark corner of the cave, sobbing.

Twilight backed up as she realized what she had done. The pain of knowing she had torn a rift between herself and Cadance was immense. Tears came to her eyes as well and she stepped over to where Cadance was. The pink princess turned and saw, not the fellow princess she loved and admired, but a rebellious filly in need of a good, sound spanking. Anger filled her gaze as she turned away. "What, Twilight?" She said gruffly, "I don't have time for ponies who would so readily insult their family members. Maybe you aren't worth loving, either."

Twilight gasped in shock and then felt her anger rise again. After all, Cadance had insulted her first. Who the hay does she think she is?! She gritted her teeth and launched at Cadance. The sisters-in-law turned enemies-in-law rolled around on the dusty cave floor, screeching insults at each other not fit to reprint in this story. Cadance went after Twilight's romantic failures and the fact that she was still single, and Twilight told Cadance she was too old and Shining wasn't physically attracted to her anymore.

Then Celestia walked to where they were fighting. "Cadance! Twilight! STOP!" She said sharply. The two fighting mares stopped and looked up at her. "Look at us," Celestia said in disgust, "fighting like immature school foals! If we're going to get out of this situation, we need to work together. I know we're all frustrated at our circumstances, but fighting among ourselves isn't gonna help. I think we all owe each other a sincere apology. Cadance, I'm sorry I said that you were incapable of spreading love to Equestria. You're the kindest, most loving pony anyone's ever met."

Cadance smiled and looked up at her adopted aunt. "Thanks, Aunt Celestia. That means a lot." Then she turned and looked at Twilight. The purple princess looked down at the dirt, embarrassed over the way she had been acting. "Twilight," Cadance said sincerely, "I'm sorry I told you that you could never keep a stallion and that you were stupid. I was acting like a filly."

"So was I," Twilight said, "I know Shining Armor loves you very much…and so do I."

The two mares embraced each other, whispering apologies into the other one's ear. They broke apart and smiled. Their friendship was as strong as it ever was, and nothing could break it. They knew they would fight anything or anyone in order to keep it that way. They were stronger than steel, and they would go through fire and water to be with each other.

Celestia looked at them and smiled. "I guess that wraps that up," she said, "now, how are we gonna get out of here?"

Twilight frowned. "I just don't know. This problem isn't resolving itself like I thought it would. Usually, by this time, we've met another pony who's willing to help us out on our friendship mission."

Suddenly, all three of their flanks began flashing. "Wait…it's over?" Twilight asked in bewilderment, "but we haven't stopped Luna's cult! Isn't that our friendship problem?"

"Twilight," Celestia said, "have you ever been called on two friendship missions at once?"

"Well, no," the Princess of Friendship replied, "the Cutie Map usually only sends us out on one."

"Well, who's to say that the map can't call you out to solve multiple friendship problems at once? Maybe our spat here in the cave was one of them, and stopping Luna's worshippers is another."

"Good point," Twilight said. She wondered why she hadn't thought of it before. Of course! She thought, two friendship missions! One to solve the tension between the three of us, and one to solve the tension between Luna and her cult. They need to understand that Luna is a friend, not a goddess. I just hope we can teach them that difference. But, still. Something troubles me. What if there are more missions within the mission?

A Cult's Determination

Meanwhile, Luna was in the midst of being pampered and catered to. Being a royal pony, she was used to having her every wish fulfilled, but these ponies did it in such a way that it caused her to be frightened. They would smile at her, and they weren't sincere smiles like the ones she received from her sister or Twilight. They were intensely creepy smiles, born out of incessant hero worship rather than genuine friendship. Do they really believe me to be a goddess of some kind? She thought.

The answer came in the form of Nightmane, who strolled down the red carpet they had laid out for her and bowed in humble reverence at her hooves. She tried bowing back to signal that he should stop, but he wouldn't rise until she was back above him. So she gave in and sat back on the high throne they had built for her. I don't deserve this, she thought, I'm no better than anypony. I just rule and raise the moon. That's all I do! I mean, really, I'm not immortal, I make mistakes…I am no goddess.

"Nightmane?" She asked.

"Yes, oh most holy one?"

"OK, first of all, could you stop referring to me like that, please? It makes me uncomfortable."

"Oh, a million apologies, most wondrous Princess! How would you like to be referred to?"

"Well, I don't mind being addressed as a friend."

"A friend? Oh, but Your Highness, I could never address you in such a manner. Thou art holy, and I am but a mere peon in your presence, a speck of dust on your robe of grandeur and magnitude."

"You are a very eloquent speaker, Nightmane," Luna said genuinely, hoping to sway him into friendship and away from worship. But he was not to be moved. He was going to worship her, whether she liked it or not. "Thank you for the compliment, Your most wondrous and beautiful Highness," he said as he groveled some more.

"OK, second of all, you can quit groveling."

"But thou art worthy of…"

"I am not worthy of any of this, Nightmane. But I can see that you are bound and determined to perform your worshipful acts. As much as I would enjoy being spoken to and addressed as a friend, I can see that this is getting us nowhere. So, for our newfound relationship's sake, you may refer to me as Your Highness. No more, no less."

"Of course, Your Highness!" After saying this, he turned and addressed the ponies of the village. "HER HIGHNESS, PRINCESS LUNA, WISHES TO BE REFERRED TO AS 'YOUR HIGHNESS.' NO MORE, NO LESS!" "PRAISE BE TO PRINCESS LUNA," the crowd responded solemnly. Luna backed up a bit in her chair. She didn't want them to praise her! She just wanted them to be friendly!

"Now, our glorious leader, Her Highness Princess Luna, shall say a few words!" Nightmane suddenly announced. Lune shrank back even more. She didn't want to give a speech! She just wanted to solve the friendship problem and go home. But she couldn't disappoint so many eager faces. Plus, she didn't often get the chance to give speeches in Canterlot. For the most part, that was Celestia's job.

So, she stepped forward and cleared her throat. "My fellow Equestrians, I would like to thank you for the warm reception you have given me. But, I…"

"PRAISE BE TO PRINCESS LUNA," the crowd responded and cheered.

Luna gave them an odd look. Nopony ever interrupted Celestia while she was speaking. So why did they do it to her? If they worshipped her, why didn't they let her finish? This is way too odd. I've got to get them onto friendship's side, or else we may lose them forever! She cleared her throat again and went on:

"…I wish that you wouldn't treat my sister and my fellow princesses with such spitting hatred. They aren't worthy of your hate. They are worthy of your love and affection."

"But, Your Highness!" Somepony suddenly shouted, "they are demons! Thy great and holy book hath proclaimed it!"

"Have you ever considered that maybe that book didn't come from me?"

The ponies all stopped and murmured. "Well, no, we hadn't," the same pony went on, "but that book has been right so far. You have come to us!"

"Yes, and didn't you think that maybe I would come to you anyway? Maybe the book made a broad generalization and you all fell for it?"

Again, a murmur went through the crowd. Nightmane suddenly stood up and quieted them. "My friends, Her Highness did give the inspiration for the book to my ancestor, who passed it down to me! The Order of the Moon and The Book of Luna shall not falter! You all have read its holy pages, and you all know what it says inside and out. Our princess is here, and now we must do as she commanded in the book and sacrifice the other three!"

The crowd gave a loud cheer and began stomping their hooves. Luna looked around wildly. She tried to cry out and get them to stop, but her voice was drowned out. She even tried using her Royal Canterlot Voice, and that was drowned out. The noise was absolutely deafening. She couldn't hear herself think.

Before she knew it, she was being hoisted up on a mobile throne and carried outside. Through the snow, they crunched along, as Celestia's sun poured down upon them. Now that they were outside, Luna could finally get her thoughts together. I have to stop them, or they'll burn my sister and Cadance and Twilight alive! But how…?

Her mind began working overtime on the dilemma. If she commanded them to stop, they might do it. After all, they did worship her. But the problem with that was that their belief in this book and what Nightmane said was so strong that it might drive them to perform the sacrifice anyway. They might think she was angry with them for not doing it fast enough, or not performing it in the correct manner.

They went along until they arrived at the cave's entrance. The three ponies at the front went inside. They brought out the three princesses, who were biting and pawing with their hooves. Luna hoped that they could break free, so that the four of them could take this cult down together. But no such event materialized, and they were bound and gagged.

Celestia looked up at her sister, and Luna saw pain in her eyes. The Princess of the Night found herself weeping for her beloved sister. Nightmane also caught notice of this and said, "the prophecies are coming true! See now, our princess weeps for the sins of Celestia! She weeps! On with the sacrifice, for Luna weeps for the sins of these heathens and the sins of the world! PRAISE BE TO PRINCESS LUNA!"

The other three princesses offered a mournful look to Luna as they were dragged off to be executed. Luna's tears became a river as she realized that she was powerless to stop this crowd. She could raise the moon, but she couldn't do anything to resolve this situation. This is so much more than a friendship problem, she thought, this is a crime. Suddenly, her anger began rising as she realized that they were breaking Equestrian law. It IS a crime! She exclaimed internally, and they will be made to pay. I'll make sure of that. I swear, on this day, my sister and my friends will NOT die.

A Filly's Discovery

The cult took Luna and her fellow princesses to the top of the high mountain that towered over Ilswich. There, she was greeted with a ghastly and grisly scene. Pony bones lay scattered over the snow, their bleached appearance matching the cold precipitation perfectly. Meat was roasting on a spit, carefully attended by two ponies dressed in black. Since she was vegetarian, Luna felt as though the contents of her stomach would not obey her commands to stay there. She gagged repeatedly. She just hoped that it wasn't pony meat. Are they cannibalistic, too? She asked herself.

Nightmane halted the procession and the three condemned princesses were tossed out into the open. They tried to loosen their binds, but to no avail. Their gags prevented them from communicating, and all they could do was offer helpless looks to each other and to Luna. The dark princess felt like crying. Here lay her sister and her friends in terrible danger and she was completely powerless to stop the proceedings. She had never felt more hopeless in her life. Yes, she was a princess and could very easily defeat the entire group with one magic blast. But the chair she was in carried a special magic crystal that negated all of her efforts. She was trapped just as much as her friends were.

The moon priest stepped over to where the meat was roasting and commanded the attendants to remove it from the spit. He picked it up on his back and carried it over to where the imprisoned royalty lay. He offered it to them to eat, but they refused. They were ponies, after all, and they didn't eat meat. It just wasn't natural. Then, Nightmane removed their gags and shoved pieces of the meat into each of their mouths. "Eat it!" He commanded sharply, "eat it, for the day of the wondrous Luna is here! Eat it, you foul demons! Eat it, in the name of Princess Luna!"

The princesses, seeing no other way out, reluctantly chewed and swallowed the meat. Nightmane laughed evilly as the princesses began weeping. They didn't know what type of animal they had just consumed, and it was completely freaking them out. The Moon Priest continued his laughing until they swallowed their forced meal. Then he reapplied the gags and stood before them.

"Tasty, wasn't it?" He asked both sarcastically and rhetorically, "you know, we get a lot of ponies that come through here. They want things. They want food, they want shelter, they want money. They want…but they never realize what they NEED." Here he gave a loving look to Luna and then cast scornful eyes on the princesses cowering at his hooves. "They NEED Princess Luna's love, guidance, and grace in their lives. They NEED to learn how to respect, honor, and worship the Great One of Old. They NEED to become part of us. But, you see, foul ones, ponies are weak creatures. They do not know how to be strong. They believe they need friends and individuality to be strong. But we know what it is to be strong."

He stopped and looked around with great pride at his group before continuing. "Every pony that passes through our town gets a choice. They can either join us…or die. If they choose death, they are sacrificed to the most glorious Princess Luna, and we know that their shrieks of agony ascend to her as a sweet, befitting song. The aroma of cooked flesh satisfies her nostrils. The Book of Luna doth proclaim it to be so."

"AND SO IT SHALL BE," the crowd responded solemnly.

"So, you see, foul ones, your sacrifice shall not be in vain, for thou shalt appease the great Princess Luna, who raiseth the moon and causeth the evil sun to be shrouded in darkness. Praise be to the daughter of the night. Praise be to the creator of the stars. Praise be to Princess Luna."

"PRAISE TO THE MIGHTY PRINCESS," the crowd responded again.

Luna didn't know what to think. These ponies had her all wrong, but the shock of realizing just what was about to happen to her friends caused her brain to malfunction. She couldn't say or do anything, and the crystalline magic that kept her trapped there did the rest. She couldn't move, so she just sat there in wide eyed bewilderment. She felt completely helpless. All hope appeared to be quickly disappearing.

Meanwhile, a certain filly had been questioning her faith through all this. Moonlight, the very foal who had spoken so rudely to Celestia when they first arrived, had been pacing back and forth in her room. She refused to go and watch the sacrifice, and had hid in a small spot to avoid incurring her father's wrath. When they gave up looking for her and went off to sacrifice the princesses, she emerged and walked around her home. This can't be right, she told herself, I've seen Celestia, Cadance, and Twilight before. They're good ponies. This just can't be the way.

Her mother had taken her to The Crystal Empire the previous year, and they had watched a royal procession. Her mother had bowed low when Luna went by, but when the other three came, she sneered and mocked them. Moonlight herself had taken up the mockery, but had never felt all that good about it, especially after she snuck off and saw Celestia and Twilight caring for a sick foal.

"There's more here than meets the eye," she said out loud to the empty house, "I've got to find out what's really going on."

So, with that, she dashed downstairs. There was a certain room down there that her father always kept locked and under strict security. He had forbidden her from ever looking in there. Now that they were gone, she felt that this was a most opportune time to see what had been forcibly removed from her vision. There's gotta be something in here, she told herself, Cadance and Twilight and Celestia are good ponies. They don't deserve death! She thought if she found something in there, that she might be able to break the cult apart and rescue the condemned ones.

So she tried opening the door, but found it to be locked tight with 5 different deadbolts on it. Oh, well, time for plan B, she told herself. She turned around and reared up on her forelegs. Then, with a mighty kick, she bucked the door completely open. Her back legs had become very strong from working with her mother and father in the Moon Church. They would have her carry heavy loads while they sat idly by and did nothing, claiming that it was "the will of the mighty Princess."

Will of the mighty princess, my tail, she told herself as she went inside. When she got there, her mouth fell open in shock. There was a machine of some kind, with wires and gears running all through it. There appeared to be a receiving slot at one end and a returning slot at the other. Giant mechanical arms were in the middle of it, and they appeared to rotate around and around via a giant radial disc.

Little Moonlight's mouth fell open. "What is all this?" She asked out loud.

"Somewhere you aren't supposed to be, young filly!" A stern voice answered. She turned and saw the disapproving glare of her father. "Daddy!" She squeaked out, "but…you're supposed to be on top of Mount Luna!"

"I came back for my saw, to remove the wings of those putrid excuses for princesses. Now, tell me, Moonlight. Why did you come here after I specifically told you not to? You know Princess Luna doesn't reward disobedient little fillies."

"I don't believe in that rubbish anymore," the young one said defiantly. Her father gave her a murderous look. "What…did you say, Moonlight?"

"I said, I don't believe in that anymore."

Her father walked around her and pressed a green button on the machine and the thing roared to life. He fed some paper into one end and then walked back and sat in front of Moonlight. "I don't blame you," he said scornfully, "I don't believe it myself."

"What?" Moonlight asked in shock

"You don't really think that Princess Luna is a goddess, do you? Heck no! It was just so easy to dupe the citizens of this backwater town because they never get to see the sun! They only see the moon! When they see Luna as somepony to be worshipped, they are much easier for me to control. I run this town, Moonlight, and nopony, not even my own daughter, is going to stop me. With this machine, I can run off copy after copy of my Book of Luna. I can kill anypony who doesn't fall in line with what I say. To be frank…I AM A GOD!" Here, he stopped and laughed evilly, "oh, that line never gets old! Now, what to do with you…what to do with you…I certainly can't let you out of here…oh, I've got it! I think I'll just leave you in here and starve you to death."

With that, he ran out and slammed the door behind him. He used heavy chains to block her from escaping. She ran up and pounded on the door. "LET ME OUT! HELP! SOMEPONY!" She squeaked to the air, but nopony came. She tried bucking the door open again, but her father had used chains made from pony steel. It was the strongest metal in Equestria, and her legs, strong as they were, couldn't break it. It seemed Moonlight's fate had been sealed.

A Filly's Help

Moonlight reared up and kicked with all her might, but the door didn't budge. She didn't know how long she had been down there, but she felt sure that escape was impossible. Even if she did manage to get out, it would most likely be too late to do anything about the sacrifice. My own daddy's trying to kill me! She thought as she realized the severity of her father's crime. Then she started a bit as she also realized that her mother was probably in on the whole thing.

"No," she said out loud, "I won't let this beat me!" With that, she reared up and gave it one last try. By some miracle, she actually managed to break through the door. She went to race through it and out into freedom, but then stopped herself. I have to take evidence with me, she told herself, so that everypony will realize that this entire "Order" is just a hoax.

So she quickly raced upstairs and grabbed the small camera that her parents kept in a side drawer. She ran back into the printing room and snapped photos of all kinds. She took pictures of the printing press, the finished copies of the Book of Luna, her father's manifesto, and other various cult related paraphernalia. She ran back upstairs and burst from her house, her small head turning in the direction of Mount Luna. Now if I can just get up the slopes, she thought.

It had begun snowing again, and the wind howled and whipped the small white flakes until they were stinging her face like a horde of angry flash bees. She forced her way through the blizzard until she reached the base of the mountain. She took a look up to try and see the marked path that the villagers used to get to the top, but she couldn't see it. The snow was absolutely blinding. I think I remember where the trail begins, she told herself, but I'm not sure…and if I don't make it…

She stopped and shivered at the thought of not only freezing to death, but the fact that the lives of three other ponies depended on her making it to the summit. So she forged onward. Luckily, she was used to living in snowy conditions like this, so her tough little exterior braved the cold very well. It didn't faze her one bit. The wind was a bit disconcerting, but other than that, she wasn't all too uncomfortable. She couldn't help but find the entire adventure a tad bit exciting. I've never been on a mission before, she said internally, I would enjoy it more, if the lives of other ponies weren't hanging in the balance.

She made her way to where she thought the path began and took a look for the small flag that would signal the way. She dug around in the snow, but couldn't find it. Then a horrifying thought struck her. Maybe it blew away in all this wind! The snow had blanketed the ground where the path should've been, so that made tracking it all the more difficult. Then, she remembered something her uncle, Comet Mane, had told her. Whenever you see the black raven fly, know that the path is somewhere nigh.

The ravens of the area roosted high on Mount Luna, and they always followed the same flight patterns. Her uncle had studied these for years and knew that the birds always flew up and down the mountain near where the villagers had dug out that path. So, she threw her head skyward and tried to peer through the whiteout conditions to find a dark speck. She looked and looked and finally, when she was about to give up hope of finding one, she spotted it. The raven flew downwards through the snow, and lighted on a tree branch nearby.

Moonlight smiled and raced up the mountain, following the same trail the raven had taken down. I'm gonna make it! She thought excitedly as she raced through the forest, I'm gonna make it! She ran up the slope and past multiple shrines that the cult had built. They regularly burned incense to Luna on the mountain, and regarded it as a very holy place. It was sort-of their natural temple, for on its peaks you could see the moon in full as it hung in the sky. She remembered attending Moon Church services on this mountain. With a wince, she also remembered attending sacrifices here. She remembered the victims screaming for their lives as her father pronounced their "glorious and holy death in the name of Princess Luna." Afterwards, he would set them on fire.

She shook the horrifying thoughts out of her mind and continued running. She didn't want to bear witness to another sacrifice, especially one that could throw all Equestria into complete turmoil. She ran as fast as her small legs would carry her, but it was a long way to the top. It took her a couple of hours to get there. Maybe Daddy's launched into a spontaneous sermon. Oh, please, let that be the case! She knew her father preached for hours at a time, and the ponies ate up everything he said.

When she arrived, she breathed a sigh of relief. Her assumption had been correct. Her father was carrying on babbling some nonsense about how Luna would be appeased once the three princesses had met their fiery fate. She ran around the side of the sacrificial complex, weaving in and out of the crowd and trying to remain unnoticed. The last thing she wanted to do was to attract attention before she had the opportunity to put her plan in motion.

When she got around to the side, she found that the three regal ponies had been tossed into cages after having their bindings and gags removed. Her little mouth fell open and she walked up to Princess Celestia. She noticed that the royal mare's normally kind and cheerful face carried a look of utter devastation and despair. She could tell that Celestia had at least attempted to cry, but whether or not she was successful was yet to be determined.

"Princess Celestia?" Moonlight asked in a small voice. The white mare turned and regarded Moonlight with a stern look. "Oh, it's you," she said, "what do you want?"

"Please, Your Majesty," she said, "first of all, I want to apologize."

Celestia gave her a surprised look. "You do?"

Moonlight nodded, "I was very disrespectful to you when you first arrived in our town. I was acting out of what I believed in. But since then, I have found that what I thought was true was not. I realize that my actions were unbecoming both to you and to me. So, Your Highness, I'd like the chance to say…I'm sorry."

Celestia looked down and smiled. She couldn't stay mad at a filly, especially one with such a sincere heart. She beckoned Moonlight closer with a hoof, and the young one obeyed. "I forgive you, Moonlight," Celestia said softly, "and I am very proud of you. Your actions would have been disrespectful to anypony, not just me, and I am happy that you have realized this. I believe you would make an excellent friendship student at Twilight's school."

"Twilight's school?"

"Indeed," Celestia said, "and I believe you should speak with her about this."

She pointed at Twilight's cage where the Princess of Friendship sat with her tail and mane drooping. Moonlight walked over to the purple mare and bowed in respect. "Princess Twilight?" She asked timidly. She expected Twilight to greet her in the same distrustful manner as Celestia, but the purple mare simply walked to the door of her prison and sat down. She gave the filly a friendly look. "Hello, Moonlight," she said, "I heard you apologize to Celestia and I agree with her. I think you should learn what true friendship is at my school."

"Do you really think I could? I mean, I've never had any friends before. Daddy says friends are for ponies who are weak."

"That's because he doesn't understand the true value and power that friendship possesses. Thanks to your discovery that what you thought was true actually wasn't, I believe that you have begun to unlock the door that will lead you into a better understanding of what friendship is."

"Really?"

Twilight nodded and smiled, "I would love to see you in my school next semester. We're booked up for the rest of this one, but I assure you there will be a place for you. I will personally see to that."

Moonlight's mouth fell open and her eyes shone. The Princess of Friendship cared about her! She wanted her to be around! Nopony had ever told her this before, not even her own parents. They always complained whenever she was under hoof. But this mare smiled at her and welcomed her with open hooves! Was she…her friend?

"Your Highness…" Moonlight began, but Twilight put her hoof up. "As the Princess of Friendship, I am a friend to all Equestria. So, in informal situations, I like to be addressed as such. You may call me Twilight."

"What about if I'm your student?"

"Professor Twilight will do, then. But you had another question for me?"

"I did, but I think you answered it. You said that you were a friend to everypony in Equestria. Does that include me?"

Twilight nodded, "I can see your pain and your loneliness. I've felt that same pain before. I can tell you from experience that having a life filled with friends and ponies who actually care about you is a whole hay of a lot better than living one without them."

Moonlight nodded and smiled. She was so happy! These were the first ponies that truly cared for her and where she was going in life. She felt like doing a dance, but she didn't because of who she was addressing. She simply said, "thank you so much, Twilight," and turned to Cadance.

"Princess Cadance, I…" she tried to start, but Cadance put her hoof up as well. "I forgive you, too, young one. I am so proud of you. You will be a welcome addition to Twilight's school, and if you're ever in The Crystal Empire…come and see me."

Moonlight smiled once again and bowed low in respect and gratitude. She popped up and said, "now, let me get you out of those cages." She stepped forward, and bucked Twilight's cage door. It opened, and the Princess of Friendship stumbled out. Moonlight caught her and gave her a hug. "Thank you for not giving up on me, Twilight." Twilight returned the hug and said, "I would never give up on anypony, Moonlight. That's not what friends do."

Moonlight smiled again and then proceeded to buck down the other two cage doors. "Those are some strong legs, Moonlight," Celestia said, "Twilight, I believe Applejack could use some help on her farm in Ponyville. That way, Moonlight could have a place to work and learn more about friendship while she studies at your school." Twilight turned and smiled at Moonlight, "I think that's a wonderful idea, Celestia! I'll talk to Applejack about it as soon as we return home."

But suddenly, just as the four of them were celebrating the escape, a gruff voice was heard. "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!" It shouted angrily. Moonlight would know that voice anywhere. It was her father.

Breaking the Bonds

Nightmane gave his daughter a murderous look. How had she managed to escape from their cellar? How had she managed to climb all the way to the summit of the mountain? How in Equestria had she managed to befriend all of these princesses in the space of a few seconds? Ugh! Friendliness, he thought in disgust, there isn't a more disgusting and evil feeling in the world. It's much better to be in control of a pony than be friends with them. If Moonlight has succeeded in her endeavors, it could mean trouble.

So, in order to keep up his pure appearance before the throng gathered behind him, he switched into a faux caring attitude. "Moonlight, my beloved daughter! Whatever are you doing here? We tried to find you and lead you on the path to this righteous sacrifice, but we couldn't locate you! Oh, my darling! Oh, my little foal!"

He picked her up and covered her face with kisses, but she could see right through his chicanery. Once he set her down, she ran back over and stood beside the princesses. He continued his charade. "Oh, my darling Moonlight! You must be careful! Surely you know the demons that you stand beside!" The crowd made a move to rush the escapees, but Nightmane held them back. "No, my brothers! First, let my daughter explain her odd choice, then you may kill them." The cultists, unsatisfied with being told to wait, pawed at the ground with impatient hooves. Good, Nightmane thought, their bloodthirst shall be this putrid land's undoing. Then I will rule Equestria! I will cause ponies to rise up and worship Luna. They will do whatever I command. Then, after a few months of lulling, I shall kill Luna and complete my takeover.

"Daddy," Moonlight began, "this is all wrong! Everything is wrong!"

"Why, whatever do you mean, dearest one?" He gave her a look that said, "go there, and you're dead," but she pressed on bravely. She was determined to free these poor ponies from the lock that her father's scam of a cult had on their brains. She looked up at Luna, who gave her an understanding look back, and continued.

"We have been forced to do things that are despicable by any moral standards! We have been forced to sacrifice the innocent, to kill the weak ponies among us and feast on their flesh, all because my father told you all that it would appease Luna!"

The crowd gasped. "She…she just spoke the name of the Great Mare of the Moon without the proper reverence!" Somepony shouted, "SHE MUST DIE!" The crowd went to rush her, and her father stood aside, happy to allow them to finish her off. But Celestia, Cadance, and Twilight stood beside her. The crowd stopped in their tracks. "See now," the same pony shouted, "the daughter of the Moon Priest hath become a demon herself! She hath been swayed by the lies and deceit of the three evil ones! WE MUST KILL THEM!"

With a great roar, the crowd rushed forward. The princesses and Moonlight couldn't do anything, for the royalty's magic was nonexistent and the filly was too young to put up a fight. But they forgot about Luna. The dark blue mare finally managed to break free from her crystalline bondage and flew down amidst the crowd. Immediately, they stopped their violence and hushed. They bowed low as Luna walked among them.

The Princess of the Night moved to where Moonlight lay, her breaths coming quick and blood flowing from multiple wounds. She gently picked the filly up and brushed off her coat before applying a magic spell to help heal her. Then, she walked back to the mobile throne and grabbed a small first aid kit out of her saddlebag. Good thing this wasn't forgotten, she told herself as she went back over and continued to gently help the small pony.

After seeing to it that Moonlight was stable, she moved to Twilight and administered the same treatment. After that, she went to Celestia, then Cadance. With every touch she made, every bandage she applied, and every spell that she cast, she showed her true love and friendship for these ponies. She hoped to show the crowd that she wasn't a vengeful goddess, but rather a kind and caring princess and friend.

After finishing, she stood up and addressed the crowd. "This…is friendship," she said, "the distorted picture of it you have received from this charlatan," here she pointed an accusatory hoof at Nightmane, "has ruined this village for years. I remember back when the founders of this town first came to my sister for permission to build this far north. They were kind ponies, who were very private and kept to themselves a lot. But still, this did not drive them away from friendship. When this town first came into existence, the ponies who traveled through here came back to Canterlot and reported tales of great kindness and compassion on the part of the villagers. But, sadly, I can see that a false hero worship has infected this town.

I am sorry that you live so far north that it's difficult for you to bask in the radiance of my sister's sun, but that's no reason to begin worshipping me. I'm not worthy of your worship. I'm no goddess. I am but a humble princess who strives every day to make up for the mistakes I have committed in the past, both as Nightmare Moon and as myself. I'm sorry if I have disappointed any of you, but truly, I just wish to be your friend. I don't want to be worshipped. Yes, I do wish to be treated with a certain amount of respect due to my position, but that doesn't mean I want you to grovel at my hooves every time I pass by. I'm not that kind of pony, none of us are. Yes, we may be princesses, but we're also your friends, and that is how we should be treated."

After finishing her small speech, she stepped back and stood next to her sisters and the young one. The ponies in the crowd gave each other despairing looks. Suddenly, another filly raised her hoof. "Yes, little one?" Celestia asked kindly. "So…does that mean you and Princess Twilight and Princess Cadance aren't evil?" The filly asked honestly.

Celestia nodded her head. "Of course we're not evil," she said, "we have nothing but the best intentions for, not only Equestria, but everypony in it."

"We seek to spread love and friendship throughout the land," Twilight said as she smiled through her pain, "and we will accomplish this mission."

"We have ourselves and each other and that's exactly where we need to be," Cadance said.

The ponies in the crowd turned to each other and began murmuring. They didn't know what to think. For years, they had been told that Princess Luna was the only princess worth loving and adoring because all they could see was her moon. They had been told that Celestia hid the sun from them out of vicious spite, and that Cadance and Twilight were evil as well. Had this all been a lie? Were Nightmane and his wife complete frauds?

They turned and looked at their leaders. Nightmane gulped nervously. His own daughter had broken his control on this village. Now, they were the ones painted into a corner. He chuckled and tried to sway control back to his side. "My friends, do you really believe a word that comes out of these lying mares' mouths? No, friends, do not believe it! For it is the word of the devil against our goddess!"

"Would 'our goddess' really have tended to 'the devil' with such compassion as she did? She showed true friendship to her fellow princesses, and even your own daughter!" Somepony challenged.

Nightmane doubled back a bit. He hadn't expected this crowd of duped, dumb ponies to catch on to his fraudulent behavior as quickly as they had. "Um…er…well…she…you know what? I just remembered that I have a sick relative in The Crystal Empire! We must be off!"

He and his wife tried to escape, but were blocked by the now former members of the destroyed cult. They tried to get out another way, but the princesses and Moonlight blocked it. Yet a third way was blocked by more disgruntled ex-members. "You told us we would have a glorious future if we worshipped Princess Luna," one of them said angrily as the crowd closed in on them, "you said we would be blessed if we gave you thousands of bits because it was the 'will of the mighty Princess.' How many other crimes have you justified by telling us that it was all Princess Luna's will?"

The crowd didn't give them a chance to respond and they rushed them. The princesses, who were busily reacquiring their magic from the sorrowful wizards, turned and stomped their hooves as one. The ground shook with their power. The ponies all cowered in fear. Celestia stepped forward. "My friends, please don't be afraid. Arise." So they all did. "You are innocent bystanders in all this. You have been duped by an evil pony and his wife. Unfortunately, I imagine that the cult had its share of leaders. Those are the ponies I would like to see now."

So some of them crept forward, shaking as they did so. Celestia's mane had begun flowing again, and she imposed herself on them. Now was the time for judgment to be handed out. She was a fair judge, and would consider the amount of involvement each of them had. So, one by one, she went along and asked them their name and how long they had been a leader within the scam.

She judged them accordingly. Some of them who had merely been spreaders of the word, she sentenced to community service within Ilswich. The wizards received 1 year of imprisonment in Canterlot's dungeon. Then came the ponies who had committed acts of sacrifice and cannibalism. These, she had no mercy on and threw them in Tartarus for life. Then came Nightmane's wife. She was sentenced to 135 years in Tartarus for not only acts of fraud, but for conspiracy to take over Equestria. Finally, Nightmane himself.

"Nightmane, you have been tried and found guilty of acts of fraud, malice, conduct unbecoming to a pony, voluntary and involuntary coltslaughter, and murder in the first degree. Also, I have it on good faith that you committed violating acts against a large number of the mares in the village, including one in your own house while your wife slept. You, sir, are the most despicable, evil creature I've ever met. You're worse than Tirek! You're worse than Grogar! You're worse than Sombra, Chrysalis, or Cozy Glow! For all of these acts, I hereby decree that you shall be put to death in the same manner that you have used to slaughter so many innocent ponies!"

A gasp went through the crowd, and through her fellow princesses. Celestia hadn't sentenced somepony to death in 1,500 years! Frankly, nopony ever broke the law as bad as Nightmane had. Twilight couldn't help but notice a tear in Celestia's eye as she passed judgment on Nightmane. She certainly didn't enjoy it, but the punishment had to fit the crime. Nightmane had spilled the blood of many innocent ponies, and he had to be made to pay a high price.

Celestia turned away from him. "Get this miserable excuse for a stallion out of my sight!"

At this command, two ex-members grabbed Nightmane and dragged him away, kicking and screaming. They tied him up to the stake that was there and quickly lit a fire. Celestia couldn't watch. Nopony could. Celestia wept as she heard Nightmane screaming. Soon the screams subsided and all that was left was his charred body.

Epilogue: What Friendship Means

Author's Note

Hey, guys! Just wanted to thank y'all for reading this story! I did want to tell y'all that the Order of the Moon was very much inspired by the Eden's Gate Cult from Far Cry 5. I also took inspiration from various radical televangelists and religious leaders throughout history.

Epilogue: What Friendship Means

After ridding Ilswich of Nightmane forever, the princesses took a look around at the group surrounding them. They looked happy to be rid of the scourge, but a bit bewildered as to what came next. After all, they had been guided by Nightmane and his wife for such a long time. Now that he was dead and she was going to be locked up in Tartarus, they didn't know who to turn to. They were confused.

"What do we do now?" Asked the same filly from earlier, voicing everyone's thoughts. "I don't know," somepony else responded, "I mean, all we've ever known is to work during the week and then on Sunday we go to Moon Church. I just don't know what to do now."

"Why don't you try friendship?" Twilight asked and smiled, "listen, everypony. You've been single hoofedly duped by this evil. Why not try reverting from it and turning to true friendship?"

"But, Your Highness, how does somepony become a true friend?"

"Through the display of the following six elements: honesty, generosity, laughter, kindness, loyalty, and magic. Combine these and you'll know what true friendship is."

The same filly came up and softly tugged on Twilight's hoof. "Yes?" Twilight asked as she smiled down at the young pony. "So…if I tell a funny joke to Stardust over there, does that make us friends?"

"Kind of," Twilight said, "but it's much more than just a joke here and there. You've gotta stick together through thick and thin, work out problems among yourselves, and know that you've got each other's back no matter what happens. That's loyalty. You've also gotta be willing to compromise and give in a little. That's generosity. Then there's honesty, which speaks for itself, and kindness, which can be found in droves if you look in the right spots."

"But what about magic?"

"The magic lives inside you," Twilight said as she put a hoof to the young one's heart, "that's where friendship is. Combine the other five and a spark will ignite, thus bringing the sixth element into your friendship. You ask some really good questions, young one. What's your name?"

"Moonbeam," the filly said as she blushed a bit. She had never been addressed by royalty before, and the concept blew her little mind and excited her all at once.

Twilight dipped down and rested her head on top of Moonbeam's. "Moonlight is going to be coming to my School of Friendship, and I would like to extend the invitation to you as well. You seem eager to learn about what true friendship is, and I would like to afford you that opportunity, if you're willing to accept it, of course."

Moonbeam smiled and her eyes shone. "You mean I'd get to meet other ponies and make friends with them?" She asked in excitement.

Twilight chuckled at her eagerness. "Yes, Moonbeam. I can tell you'd be a perfect candidate for my school."

"Oh, yes-yes-yes-yes-yes!" Moonbeam said as she bounced around Twilight. Moonlight ran forward and grasped the other filly in a hug. "Moonbeam! You're gonna come to Twilight's school, too!" The two fillies jumped and squealed as their happiness ran forth like a river. Celestia stepped forward and put a friendly hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "You've done marvelous work as the Princess of Friendship, Twilight," she said. Then she turned and looked somberly at the charred remains of Moonlight's father. "I just wish we could have taught Nightmane the same thing."

"I've realized something, Celestia," Twilight said.

"And what is that, my friend?"

"Friendship is an amazing thing. It can come in all shapes and sizes, and it can exist between creatures of all species. I'm very thrilled that you've put me in charge of it throughout Equestria. But there is a downside to friendship."

"A downside?"

"Yes," Twilight said as she motioned back towards the dead cult leader, "friendship cannot penetrate the thickest of armors, and Nightmane's was the thickest I've ever seen. He wanted to control the poor ponies of this village and the ponies of Equestria. So I see why you did what you did. It had to be done, and there was no questioning that. I've been able to help save some ponies through the power of friendship, but I don't think that power could have saved him. I guess you have to know when to be a true friend, and when to realize that friendship isn't the solution to every problem."

"You're right, Twilight," Celestia said, "as much as I adore friendship and I will always treasure ours, Nightmane was one of those ponies that had barred his heart to what friendship truly is. His spirit was a minefield, and our arrival here in Ilswich set it off completely. While I am sad, deeply sad, that we weren't able to introduce him to that same magic, I am thrilled that a difference has been made in the lives of the ponies here today."

She pointed her hooves around the assembly and Twilight's mouth stretched wide in a smile. For the first time since they had arrived in Ilswich, she noticed the ponies treating each other as friends instead of as cultish allies. They had shed the skin of oppression and collectivism and had turned into radiant beams of friendship and individuality, and she couldn't have been prouder.

Suddenly, the four princesses' flanks began flashing. Moonlight and Moonbeam stopped bouncing for a second and stared in awe and wonder. "What's going on with your cutie marks?" Moonlight asked.

"Yeah," Moonbeam echoed, "they've gone all kablooey!"

The princesses chuckled at Moonbeam, then Twilight responded. "They flash like this to signal that our friendship mission is complete." Then she raised her voice and addressed the entire gathering. "Listen, everypony! Our time here is at an end. As much as I would love to stay and get to know everyone better, our calling is back in Canterlot and Ponyville. But now each one of you has something new to fall back on: the magic of friendship. You don't need shared beliefs to have this magic. It's something that transcends things like that, and it is truly amazing. In the last hour, I have seen this group grow and mature immensely. I am honored to know you all, and more importantly, to have befriended you all. I know we don't visit up here often, and for that, I am truly sorry. Maybe that's why Nightmane was able to put his message across so easily. Maybe you don't know the four of us. So, as the Princess of Friendship, I hereby decree that I shall be making a week-long visit back here next month."

"As the Princess of Love, I, too, shall be making another visit," Cadance said as she smiled.

"As the Princess of the Night, I will be visiting as well," Luna said.

"And as the Princess of the Day, I will be coming back, too," Celestia said.

This declaration was met with a great cheer from everypony, and they all clustered around the four princesses, shouting their thanks and farewells. Then, the four rulers of Equestria turned southward and made their way back through the snow to their respective homes. But they never forgot the trial or the ponies of Ilswich, and Moonbeam and Moonlight became two of Twilight's most prized students. Yes, friendship worked wonders in that little town in the snow, and it was thanks to one filly's determination that it blossomed into something great.