Cantervania: Symphony of the Nightmare

Tempest and Twilight stared at the pony in front of them. A mare, her mane as starry as the night sky, her regal features, her horn alight with magic as her wings unfurled, strode forth and looked at the both.

“An alicorn...” Twilight whispered.

The alicorn stared at her and narrowed her eyes. She spoke with a strange tongue, an ancient language of Equestria forgotten to time itself. ”Quis es? Cito dicam, pro patientia mea tenui.”

Twilight blinked in confusion. “I’m sorry,” she said, seeing the look on the mysterious pony’s face. “I don’t understand.”

The alicorn’s nostrils flared in annoyance. She turned to Tempest. Her eyes traced the Shadow’s battered and dirty armour.

”Vos. Bellator. Cui tu servis?” Her eyes narrowed with a sharp gleam as she watched Tempest’s face.

The unicorn backed up and turned to Twilight. “Sparkle... This was a bad idea.”

“Is she who I think she is..?”

“I’m not sure...”

The alicorn’s brow furrowed in a scowl as she listened to them speak. She cursed something at them and closed her eyes.

Her horn began to glow with a vibrant, indigo aura. Twilight felt something in her head, like icy tendrils reaching in, feeling around inside her head, searching for something. She grunted in pain and sank to the floor, her hooves covering her ears.

“Stop it!” she cried.

Tempest felt a similar feeling, and fought to remain tall, staring the alicorn in her eyes. She winced as the icy cold wrapped around her brain before finally relenting and dispersing.

The alicorn straightened up as her horn stopped glowing. “Has the finer language of Equestrian been lost for so long?” she murmured.

Twilight uncovered her ears and slowly stood, her legs shaking. “You’re... We can understand you now?”

The alicorn nodded. Her eyes narrowed, pools of teal blue tainted with something darker. “Now. I believe introductions are in order?”

She lowered her head and gracefully bent her knee. “I am Princess Luna, second born of Equestria and Lunar Sovereign of the Night.” She raised her head and flashed a smile at them both. “A pleasure.”

Twilight stammered and quickly knelt. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, your majesty.” She gestured to the Shadow. “And this is Tempest Shadow, we’ve-”

“A Shadow?” Luna chuckled. “Oh I know about you Shadows.” Her eyes darkened as she fixed her eyes on Tempest. “You killed my pets. Your order has been wiped out has it not?” She flashed a cocky grin.

Tempest growled. Her horn ignited with light blue lightning. “Your pets?” She stamped a hoof in front of her and flared her nostrils. “I should kill you for what you’ve done.”

“Tempest no!” Twilight cried, panic rising in her voice, a bead of sweat dripped down he side of her head.

Princess Luna spread her wings and rose into the air, her horn glowing with magic. She looked at the Shadow before her with disdainful and uncaring eyes.

“Do you presume you can best me so easily? If you really are one of the infamous Shadows and not a mongrel wearing scavenged armour then you might stand a chance,” she taunted and flourished her head, her mane flowing around her almost with a mind of it’s own.

“Come, impress me.”

The air grew cold around them as magic coursed through the air, between the alicorn and the unicorn.

Twilight’s eyes flicked between the two. “Tempest no, don’t do this!” she cried.

“She’s nothing, Sparkle. Not your messiah, not your saviour. Nothing.”

Luna scowled. “Tch. You’ve got nothing but insults haven’t you? A tired little- agh!” She cried out as a blast of magic hit her directly in the chest. She raised a hoof to her chest and hissed as she rose again, a mark of energy burned into her skin.

Tempest Shadow’s broken horn fizzled with light, the air around it distorted with energy. She flexed her legs and stretched. “Shut the fuck up and fight.”

Twilight watched in despair as they traded spells. Sparks flew, the earth shook with each collision. The air hummed with energy as blast after blast came, Princess on one side, Shadow on the other, dodging and fighting--almost methodical in their movements. Twilight thought they resembled dancers performing a show.

“You can’t do this, Tempest!” she cried as a bolt of lightning zoomed over her head. She quickly ducked and dove for cover

Tempest grunted in irritation as she somersaulted over another blast of energy and dodged another charge from her opponent.

They both stopped leaping and dodging around each other and focused a massive beam of energy at one another. Tempest’s magic was unstable and crackled and distorted the air around it, while Luna’s magic was radiant and steady. The former’s head lowered in concentration and anger, the latter’s raised high and noble, with a hint of disdain.

Luna chuckled softly. “Is this it, Shadow? Not very impressive for a legendary warrior.”

Tempest said nothing and poured her anger into her magic, making it increasingly erratic and unstable.

Twilight cried out. “You have to stop, Tempest, or you’ll burn yourself up!”

The unicorn with a broken horn gritted her teeth and focused. She knew she couldn’t sustain a spell for that long and had to finish this as quickly as possible. With a great heave, she sent a blast directly down the beam of energy and broke off the attack, lunging in for a quick strike, which caught Luna off guard. Tempest quickly closed the distance between them and swung her hoof into the Princess’s face, only to wince as the alicorn unflinchingly glared at her.

“Please,” Luna muttered, “Show some class, this is no bar room brawl.”

The air seemed to shimmer around her as she moved with a supernatural speed into the darkness. An outline of where she once stood stared at Tempest before fading into dust.

The Shadow swivelled her ears and listened. Only a few seconds passed, though it felt like an eternity as she held her breath. She sensed movement behind her, and swung a hoof, blocking a blow from the Princess.

Luna looked at her, if she was impressed she didn’t show it, and swung her horn downwards.

The Shadow stepped backwards quickly, her horn flashed with magic and created an unsteady shield in front of herself. Luna’s horn collided with it and slowly penetrated it’s way through the magic. They stood, locked in combat, their eyes both glowing in the light.

“Princess Luna, please! Tempest! Stop!” Twilight pleaded. Her cries fell on deaf ears Luna clearly gaining the advantage as Tempest’s magic weakened. The young unicorn sank to the floor in despair and could only watch in horror.

As the magic barrier finally dissipated, Luna sent Tempest careening into the wall of the chamber with a swing of her hoof. Tempest spat out some blood and unsteadily rose to her feet, her horn began to glow with a black light.

“Is that all?” she coughed as veins broke out across her face, as black as the glow around her horn and her eyes swirled and darkened. With as much energy as she could muster, she fired a blast of eldritch power at the Princess, smiling with satisfaction as smoke billowed around where she once stood.

Twilight gasped in horror and opened her mouth to exclaim profanities at the Shadow, but quickly fell silent as Luna strode forth, totally unharmed. The alicorn’s wings spread, her eyes blazed with life. Dust and smoke swirled around her, creating an image of something familiar.

“Nightmare Moon...” Twilight whispered with a mix of awe and fear as the Princess grasped Tempest with magic, hoisting her up in the air.

The Shadow’s bones ached, her head hurt and she absolutely had some internal bleeding. Her horn fizzled and sputtered with the last of her magic. Her eye was also swollen, obscuring her vision slightly. She thought to herself as the Princess held her: “Is this it? Am I to die in a forgotten cave underneath a godsforgotten ruin?” She smirked, remembering the stories of her youth. “I suppose there are worse ways...”

Luna looked at her with pity and raised her head up high.

“What are you waiting for then? Expect me to beg?” Tempest defiantly called out, and spat some blood on the floor.

The Princess smirked. “Correct me if I am mistaken, Shadow,” she said as the unicorn glared down at her. “But that kind of anti-magic only works on evil creatures yes?”

Tempest smirked, her hooves twitching as she struggled against the princess’s magic. “So I’ve found...”

Luna leaned down and stared at her, face to face, mere inches away from one her. “And it has no effect on me, correct?”

“...Clearly...” she begrudgingly admitted.

“Therefore, one must conclude that I am not evil yes?”

“...”

Tempest glared at Luna before breaking out into a laugh, hollow and dry.

“What does it matter anyway? You’re going to die here same as me.”

Luna felt something jab her chest. She looked down and saw a small knife twisting it’s way through her abdomen. WIth a snarl she raised the Shadow up higher into the air and used her magic to tilt her head backwards.

“Stop!” Twilight eventually cried out.

The Princess and the Shadow both looked at her, as a barrier of magenta magic came between them, the aura around Tempest vanished, dropping her to the ground. The young unicorn’s horn was aglow with a magenta light. “Luna--Princess-- we need to talk, please.”

Luna turned to face her and advanced slowly, menacingly. Her expression cold and stern.

“Princess Celestia sent me to find you.”

The Princess froze. “Celestia? Explain yourself.”

Twilight swallowed and looked at the princess’s eyes. She saw great beauty, but also a strange sadness. “Princess Celestia sent me here, to find this tomb, to find you, I now realise,” she continued, “Equestria is in great danger-”

“Is my sister gone?” Luna interrupted quietly. Her eyes glazed over, remembering the last time she saw her sister, snapping back to reality when the unicorn next spoke.

Twilight nodded solemnly. “I’m afraid so. Her last words to me were follow the Shadow, seek the tomb of the Moon, only together can you-”

“Can you stop the Nightmare and save Equestria from doom.” Luna finished.

Twilight’s eyes widened, as did Tempest’s.

Luna sighed and turned away. “The prophet Star Swirl did enjoy his riddles,” she murmured.

“Star Swirl?” Twilight blinked. “Star Swirl the Bearded wrote the prophecy?”

The Princess nodded. “He did.”

“The stories always say Nightmare Moon wrote it for her own return.” Tempest slowly stood up and joined them, her eye swollen from her fight. She regarded the alicorn with watchful eyes. “And you’re telling me that Star Swirl the Bearded, greatest wizard in all of Equestria, wrote it instead?”

“Yes,” Luna said simply and turned to them. “How much of the true prophecy do you really know?”

Twilight shuffled. “Bits and pieces really, I thought I knew the legend but ever since Celestia told me the last part, I’ve been wondering that myself.”

Luna snorted. “That is but half of it. Star Swirl looked into the future as he wrote the prophecy,” she explained. “He saw that a Princess would sleep while her Nightmare ruled, and that she would be awakened-”

She looked at Twilight. “By a scholar...”

She then turned to Tempest and looked her in the eye.

“And a hunter.”

The alicorn turned away from then and walked towards her former cradle.

“No-one told me,” Tempest sulked as she picked herself up.

Twilight gave her an exasperated look. “Why do you think I insisted we stayed down here?”

“I thought you were just some crazy pony with a death wish. I’ve met a lot in my travels.” The Shadow grunted and tenderly touched her eye, wincing in pain. “Got something for this?”

Twilight sighed and crossly used her magic to soothe the wound, casting a light spell of curing over the Shadow’s eye. The swelling receded, and as Tempest gingerly touched it, she smiled and mumbled a thanks.

The sound of stone scraping on stone filled the cavern as Luna sealed her tomb shut once more. “I have surely slept for far too long,” she murmured sadly, gazing at the corpse of the gorgon a few feet away from her. “Monsters on sacred ground, Celestia gone...

Twilight coughed nervously. “That’s not all, Princess...”

The Princess turned to face them once again. She straightened up and unfurled her wings to their full length. “Explain.”

Twilight nodded grimly. “Nightmare Moon visited the ponies of Ponyville in a sort of vision, she declared her army of darkness would attack the town in seventy two hours. I’m not sure how long we have left, but...” She gave a gloomy shrug and grimaced.

“I see.” Luna flexed her wings and stretched. “Then we had better hurry.”

An indigo aura appeared round the ‘scholar’ and the ‘hunter’ and hoisted them into the air. “Do not struggle,” she told them as Tempest grunted and squirmed to escape.

“This will take but a moment.”

The Princess and the ponies shot up into the air, the wind knocking the breath out of Twilight. They fired up the stairs to the gorgon’s lair, and soon they quickly burst through the courtyard of the two sisters, and into the night sky.

With a flap of her wings, Luna descended and set them all down on the steady ground. Tempest grumbled and glared at her. “We could have walked.”

Luna snorted. “Time is of the essence is it not, Shadow?”

Twiligth panted and gasped for air. “Do all--princesses---move that---fast?” Her legs buckled and she collapsed.

“Yes. When they want to.” Luna offered her a smile and an outstretched hoof. “Come, let me help you.”

Twilight gingerly took her hoof and helped herself up.

Tempest scowled at them and dusted herself off. “Well that was touching, now let’s get back to Ponyville and finish this. But first-”

She swung her cloak off of her back and offered it to Luna.

“Put this on.”

Luna glared at the filthy rag. “Surely you jest, Shadow?”

Tempest glowered at her. “Ponies might recognise you and get the wrong idea.”

“She has a point, Princess,” Twilight piped up, her legs still a touch wobbly. “Some ponies might...” She searched for the right words and squirmed. “React badly? Also I’d expect Nightmare Moon to be looking for you once she catches wind of your awakening.”

Luna nodded thoughtfully. “You have a point, Twilight Sparkle. An excellent suggestion.” She winked at the lavender mare.

Tempest grumbled something under her breath and marched away.

The Moon cast a spectral glow over the Everfree Forest, seemingly knowing it’s true master was finally awake.

***

Twilight’s friends sat in silence as she explained what she had to do. Tempest sulked in one corner, while Luna took books off of shelves, read the covers, chuckled, then put them back. Spike sadly sat in front of the fire, his spines drooping as he worried for his adoptive sister, and their parents.

“So...” Rainbow dash murmured, “you’re gonna try and save Equestria with-” She nodded towards the Princess and the Shadow. “Them?”

Twilight nodded glumly. “Yeah... At least Ponyville is evacuated.” She smiled at her friends. “You all did such a good job getting the town to co-operate. I know it must be hard leaving Sweet Apple Acres behind, Applejack.”

Applejack chuckled. “Not as hard as getting granny to agree with leavin’.” She bent over and scrunched her face up and put on a voice. “Eh ah’ve been here for a hundred years, ah was born in Ponyville an’ ah’ll die in Ponyville!”

They chuckled softly.

Rarity waved a hoof. “But, Twilight, you must congratulate yourself at reviving the Princess Luna herself!”

Twilight shook her head. “Thanks, Rarity, but that was mostly Tempest.” She gestured to the Shadow, leaning against the wall on the far side of the room and turned red. “I just... Got in the way.”

The Shadow let out a single laugh and fell silent once more.

“Ahem, yes well,” Rarity continued, still not too impressed with Tempest and her rudeness. “I do so wish I had a chance to design something more fitting for a Princess of Equestria than... That.” She gestured to Tempest’s muddy cloak wrapped around Luna.

Tempest grumbled. “I like it.”

“Of course you would you obviously have no class.”

The pair of them stared daggers at one another before Twilight got in between them. She glared at them both, silently passing judgment. Tempest shrugged and scratched her head.

They all jumped as Luna snapped her latest book shut, her ear pinned back as if listening for something. “I am afraid...” She looked at Twilight’s group of friends. “I sense a great danger approaching.”

Twilight jumped up. “Is it time?” she asked.

Luna nodded. “I believe so.”

The lavender mare’s face fell as she turned to her friends. “I hoped we had more time...”

Applejack stepped forwards and swung a hoof around her friend’s neck. “Listen, sugarcube, you go off an’ save Equestria. We’ll be waitin’ for ya when you get back.” She tilted her hat and smiled. “Applejack’s seal of honest approval.”

Twilight sniffed and hugged her back. “I’ll miss you. I’ll miss all of you.”

“And we’ll miss you dear,” Rarity replied, joining the hug.

Soon the rest of them found themselves in another group hug. “Hey, once this is all over, I’m gonna buy everypony here a round of apple cider!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, lightening the mood.

They all laughed and smiled together for what they thought might be the last possible time they could--for a while at least.

Luna glanced at Tempest. The pair of them shared a sad look, almost being able to read each other’s minds. Tempest coughed, getting Twilight’s attention. She gestured to the door.

“It’s time then,” Fluttershy murmured sadly. “You will see us off, won’t you Twilight?”

Twilight smiled at her and rubbed her eyes. “Of course, Fluttershy.” She looked at Spike, who hadn’t spoken since she returned. “Spike?”

He looked up at her, his eyes wide and baleful.

“Look after them for me. I’ll come home, I promise.”

The small dragon nodded and wrapped his arms around her legs. His little body shook with a heavy sob as he released her and walked towards the door, ponies in tow.

Tempest kindly held the door open for them with a twitchy smile. “Celestia, it must be hard for ponies with friends,” she thought as they trotted past her, each thanking her for what she considered basic behaviour. Soon only the dragon remained, seemingly frozen in place. She looked down at him.

“She’ll be okay, right?” His words made Tempest’s heart tremble.

She stiffened her face and forced emotion out of her voice. “She’ll be fine.”

As he walked past her, she placed a hoof on his shoulder and looked into his eyes.

“I promise.”

Seemingly reassured, he smiled at her and hurried on to re-join his friends.

“I shall remain here, Twilight Sparkle, I have some meditating I must do,” Luna stated. She bowed to the ponies as they exited the library. “It has been a privilege to meet ponies such as yourselves. I hope I can begin to make things right for Equestria.”

They bowed in response, unsure of what to say to a mythical princess who essentially started all of this mess. Luna nodded and opened another book, absorbing it’s contents in mere seconds before picking up another.

***

The eight of them walked slowly through the empty town, taking in their surroundings as they did. A tumbleweed blew past, as if to emphasize how lonely Ponyville was now.

They stopped at the town’s edge. Twilight turned to her friends. “I will miss you all very much.”

“We’ll miss you too, Twilight,” they all said as one. Tears brimmed their eyes once again, making Tempest cough impatiently.

With a sad wave Twilight bid farewell to her friends as they slowly disappeared into the wilds of Equestria, once so familiar, now twisted beyond recognition in the low light of the Moon. Tempest awkwardly placed her hoof on the young mare’s shoulder. “They’re going to be fine, you know.”

Twilight sniffed. “I know. It’s just...” She turned to the dark pony beside her. Her mouth opened as if to speak, then closed and without a word turned to look at her friends once more, quickly disappearing into the night.

Tempest sighed and removed her hoof, gazing after the ponies as they retreated from Ponyville.”You’re worried about yourself, right? Always been among friends? Never travelled alone?”

The young unicorn nodded. “Yeah...” She turned to her new companion and chuckled sadly. “Isn’t it funny? I’m sad because they’re together and I’m...” She trailed off.

“Alone?”

“Yeah...”

“Hmm.”

A tense silence fell between them.

Twilight looked at the Shadow. “This is the part where you’re supposed to tell me I’m not alone, Tempest.”

Tempest shuffled awkwardly. “I learned to deal with being alone from a young age. Maybe I just got too used to being alone.” She used her magic to remove a log from their path, as her horn was broken however the log simply exploded.

Twilight regarded her sadly. “So you’ve never had a friend?”

“No. Work colleagues yes. Acquaintances at best...” Tempest gazed up at the stars. “A long time ago.”

The young mare shook her head. “You must have had a family though?”

Tempest looked at her with a cold expression.

“Not anymore.”

She continued walking, her hooves leaving dusty hoofprints in the mud. Twilight started after her, quickly catching up.

“Well, you’ve got me now,” she mumbled with a goofy smile.

The Shadow glared at her. “I’m only taking you with me because you might be able to help, I don’t want to be your friend, I don’t want you following me, but I’m stuck with you so now you’re here, understand?” Her voice was ice cold, her face expressionless.

Twilight balked and her nose twitched, the possible signal of tears, and caused Tempest to groan.

“Look, I didn’t - I mean...” The Shadow turned to the pony behind her. “I’m sorry, but we have a job to do now. All I have to do now is keep you alive so you can go back to your friends and your... Nice way of life. Deal?” She held out a hoof and forced a smile.

Twilight glared at her. She gingerly reached out and shook hooves. “Okay, one step at a time then.”

They walked together in silence, save for their hooves touching the ground.

“You know,” Twilight said quietly, “you could stand to be a bit nicer if you want ponies to make friends with you.”

Tempest shot her a look. “I don’t want ponies to be friends with me,” she grunted in response and kept walking.

“Besides. I’m very nice.”

Twilight snorted and said nothing.

Tempest snorted back childishly as they moved into view of the Golden Oaks Library, their recently acquired alicorn companion stared at them with uncaring eyes as they approached.

“We should hurry,” she stated.

“At least we agree on something,” the Shadow muttered. “Start with making barricades, we can funnel them into the town square.”

Luna nodded and flapped her wings, rising into the air once again. Her horn lit up as magic ripped the roofs off of the houses and began to place them around the streets.

Twilight watched with wonder as they worked together. “Seemingly at each others throats ninety percent of the time, when it comes down to it, they really weren’t so dissimilar,” she thought as they worked.

In a few hours the town resembled nothing short of a makeshift fort. Tempest checked the last of the barricades and hopped down. Se gave Luna a quick glance, who nodded in response and watched silently.

“Sparkle--uh...Twilight?” she gently asked.

Surprised, Twilight turned to her. “Yes, Tempest?”

Tempest cleared her throat and gestured to the empty street. “A word. Please.”

Twilight swallowed nervously and followed her. Tempest puffed her cheeks out and kicked a rock on the ground. “So... About this fight?” she said quietly.

“Yeah?”

“You... Should stay out of sight.”

Twilight stopped. “Excuse me?”

“You’re a gentle pony, Sparkle. You don’t even swear.” Tempest’s words were kinder than usual, her voice softer than usual as well.

Twilight stared at her. “You’re expecting me to just sit on my flank and do nothing while you and Luna save the town?” Anger rose in her voice. “I’m as much of this as you now, Tempest.” She stuck her lip out as her cheeks reddened. “And I can swear... Dammit.”

Tempest looked at her. “Even so, Twilight Sparkle. This is no place for a young filly like you. Let myself and Luna take care of this, you read and gather information about our enemy.” She held up the Monstrum, the book she’d taken in exchange for staying in the tomb with the young mare. “Here... Read this. And keep out of sight.”

She looked at the mare and allowed a small grin to cross her face. “Please. I can’t sit through what I can imagine your funeral would be with all of your friends.”

Twilight sighed and relented. “Fine. ‘ll just sit and read while you two do all the hard work.” Outside she was angry she was being treated like a foal, but inside, she secretly squealed with relief. “Tempest is right, I’m not a fighter... And besides, I might learn something rom that book...”

Luna trotted over to them. “They’re here.” Her voice was cold, her gaze distant.

Twilight cocked an ear and listened. Sure enough, she could hear the barely audible grunts, squeals, growls and scraping claws of Nightmare Moon’s forces.

Tempest gave her a gentle push. “Go. Lock the door. We’ll get you when it’s over.” Her horn crackled to life once again, while Luna’s horn seemingly glowed and swiped like an ancient sword.

The Princess’s nostrils flared as a tall bipedal creature wielding a spear shambled forwards. “No further,” she warned.

The creature squawked, it’s bird-like head clacking it’s vicious looking beak in anger. Another beast at it’s side gargled something foul in it’s throat, staring at the trio with beady red eyes.

A pair of rat-faced, short creatures leapt forth, and dashed towards them.

“Twilight, now,” Tempest muttered as her horn glowed with magic.

Twilight turned and bolted back to the library as quick as she could, panic setting in as she felt the creatures snap at her heels. She slammed and bolted the door shut behind her, and quickly closed any window that remained open. She took one last look at the two out in the street, side by side, back to back, surrounded as vicious monsters encircled them. Twilight swallowed and turned away, feeling guilt and dread set in as she tried to focus on her book.

***

As flashes of magic and loud explosions boomed around outside the Golden Oaks Library, Twilight tried to blot out the sounds as much as possible. With every sound, however, she flinched and felt more and more guilt eat it’s way through her.

“Eyes shut works just as well as a fancy reflective shield, Silver.” She frowned. “Was this Silver a friend of Tempest’s? I find that kinda hard to believe.” She jumped as a loud thud landed against the library’s walls, focusing on the book. She continued reading. “A gorgon may be the only way to kill a kraken.”

The young mare shivered. She’d heard of krakens, monstrous leviathans of the deepest parts of the oceans around Equestria, to fight a gorgon just to fight another monster like that was nothing short of foolish. And yet...

Twilight bit her lip as she imagined herself off fighting monsters in far away lands. She was enthralled by it all, the daring adventures, dashing fights, hopelessly outnumbered yet still emerging victorious, living on the road with very little to care about... All alone.

Her face drooped, her ears laid back.

“Maybe not for me,” she mumbled, thinking of her friends. A pony like Shining Armour, her brother, might be better suited to a life of adventures. She smiled as she remembered him. The youngest Captain of the Royal Guard, he seemed to make every filly and mare swoon before him with his charm, and every stallion and colt either wanted to be him or feared him in some way. Twilight laughed as she remembered a handsome pony from her youth asked her to a dance at a school party, and Shining had glared at him all night when his hooves were on her.

She sighed and closed the book, remembering good times and happier memories.

With a flash of bright light and what sounded like thunder rumbled around the library she closed her eyes and breathe deeply and thought of the two outside. “I’m sue they’re fine,” she mumbled to herself. “One’s a legendary Princess of Equestria and demi-god, the other is a rude but clearly capable monster hunter. What could go wrong?”

As if to answer her, Tempest Shadow came sailing through the window, sending shards of glass everywhere. With a groan, she stumbled to her feet and looked at Twilight.

Twilight gasped, seeing her companion’s legs cut up, bloodied and bruised. “Tempest!” she cried. Her thoughts immediately turned to worry as she rushed forwards and helped her companion up.

The Shadow waved a hoof and stood up, her bones creaking and groaning in protest. “I’ve had worse,” she muttered through a smile. “Well, back to it I suppose.” She glanced at the window and sighed. “Sorry about the mess.”

With that, she leapt upwards, diving through the window and, from what Twilight could tell, judging by the howl of pain that followed, landed or at least connected with something.

The lavender unicorn gaped at the Shadow’s bravery and felt nothing short of admiration for her. She shook her head and walked to the door, peering out, she could just barely make out several large-as-houses creatures surrounding an image of an alicorn. She watched as Luna seemed to fade into the shadows themselves, and gazed in wonder at the lightning quick speed she moved at, the same as she had fought Tempest with earlier. With a flash of her horn, two of the beasts lay dead, their giant throats cut ear to ear. The third roared in anger and lunged downwards.

Twilight turned away and felt an urge building up inside her. “Easy, Twilight Sparkle,” she told herself, “you have to show these two that you aren’t just a simple librarian from Ponyville.” She took a deep breath. “Show them you are a student of Celestia herself and are not just some heavy weight to be left behind.”

With steely resolve and inspired by her companions bravery, she unlocked the door and swung it open. She saw Tempest struggling with one creature, while Luna fought several others, her horn ablaze with a dark blue flame.

Tempest noticed her, and gritted her teeth. “Sparkle!” she barked, “inside! I told you it’s not safe-” The creature accosting her bared it’s teeth and lunged for her exposed neck, pinning her to the ground as she was momentarily caught off guard.

Twilight shook her head as a magenta glow surrounded her horn. She fired a blast of magic at the creature engaged with the Shadow, sending it careening into her neighbour’s, thankfully, empty house.

Tempest looked at her, slightly impressed. “Okay... Maybe I misjudged you.” She rose to her feet and pointed to three creatures that resembled bats. “On my mark, fire one bolt of magic at each of them, I will support you with my own magic. Ready?”

“Ready.” Twilight felt the adrenaline pump through her as she built up the magic in her horn. She felt a rush she had never felt before and she licked her lips as the creatures grew closer.

“Now!”

The unicorn’s horn glowed bright, and three missiles fired off at the beasts. Three hits, singing the creatures and stunning them enough for Tempest to fire a blast at them, incinerating their bodies immediately.

The Shadow smiled at her companion. “Well done, Sparkle, you’d make a good Shadow some day.”

Twilight blushed.

“Yes it’s all very thrilling isn’t it?” Luna grumbled from behind them as she dodged the bird-headed biped’s spear thrust.

It shrieked and darted forwards, sensing easier prey than the alicorn. It’s bat-like compatriot grabbed it by the shoulders and hoisted it up into the air.

Twilight gulped as the bat-thing dove, wings beating hard and fast, and gasped as a blast of lightning hit it directly in the head.

Tempest stood and panted, watching as the biped tumbled to the earth, dropping it’s weapon a few feet away from where it landed. She turned to the young mare at her side and smiled. She dashed forwards and swiped the thing’s spear from the dirt, and drove it into the pitiful creature’s neck. It’s beak clattered and quivered as it gargled it’s last breath, blood spilled out from it’s wound.

Her smile faltered when a large creature that resembled an ursa major lumbered forth. It’s throat glowed a fiery orange, and it spat out great globs of fire that exploded the ground on impact.

Twilight felt a rage bubbling inside her. She thought of her friends on the wild roads, of the ponies of Ponyville with them, of Canterlot. Of her brother. She felt magic rising in her horn, her hair moved of it’s own accord as her power swelled, almost creating a gale around herself. As the creature’s throat grew red once more, Twilight saw her opportunity and used her magic to catch the globs before it spat them. It’s throat swelled and it’s eyes bulged in fear, and with a colossal explosion of fire and gore, it’s head flew several feet from it’s body as dead as the rest of the attack force.

The rest of the creatures began to disperse. Luna smiled sadistically to herself as magic blasts filed the sky, striking them down before they could retreat. “Wait,” she said. “Let one live, let one take a message back to it’s master.”

The clouds seemed to disperse at Luna’s words, the soft glow of the Moon revealing one solitary bat-creature flying far away, towards he capital, it’s wings ragged and damaged.

The princess turned to her companions. “So that’s it then. The town is saved.”

“Almost seemed too easy,” Tempest grumbled.

“It was. Nightmare Moon planned this.”

A cold wind blew through the empty, corpse ridden town, chilling Twilight to the bone. Luna turned her gaze towards where the last creature flew off to and sighed.

“I find myself in need a scholar and a hunter.” She looked at her companions. “I need help to save Equestria, perhaps the entire world,” she mused, “and I need help in defeating my Nightmare.”

Tempest cocked her head and snorted. “Yes, you do.”

Twilight gave her a light shove and addressed the Princess.

“We’re coming with you. We’re in this together now.”

Luna smiled. “It will be dangerous, little pony. Are you ready?”

Twilight nodded bravely and bit her lip. “I’ll do my best.”

The Princess nodded and turned to Tempest. “Are you for hire, Shadow?”

Tempest grunted in response and straightened up. “I suppose so. But I don’t come cheap, especially if the target is Nightmare Moon herself-”

“Very well,” Luna interrupted “Once Equestria is saved you shall be paid.”

The Shadow nodded thoughtfully. “Fine.”

Twilight coughed nervously. “Where do we start then?”

Tempest’s ear flicked as an idea came to her. “I... Have a suggestion.” She spoke slowly, carefully. “Just a hunch...”

Her companions turned to her expectantly. She gestured to the library.

“Inside, first. Then we’ll talk.”

***

In the Canterlot court, Nightmare Moon smirked as the creature garbled something to her in a twisted tongue. It’s ragged wings fluttered lightly under her gaze ad it’s head chattered with nonsense.

“So...” she mused, “Luna has woken up...”

She had expected this. What she had not expected was the news of her chosen companions, gathered from what this pitiful creature had told her of her forces defeat at Ponyville.

“A scholar,” she muttered. “And a hunter.” Her eyes darkened and her brow furrowed.

Some servants had managed to tidy the place up a bit, removing the rubble and debris. But keeping the blood stains. Shining Armour shivered as his eyes gazed over the crimson stains. He stood, the only other pony in the room, and watched his monarch closely, and snapped to attention when she turned to him.

“Do you know why I have not killed you Shining Armour?”

He shook his head and gritted his teeth, expecting the worst. “No, Your Grace.”

“It is because you serve me of your own volition.” She paused thoughtfully. “You serve... For your country.”

The Queen’s response caught him off guard and he relaxed slightly. His muscles untensed. “Your Grace?” he asked nervously.

She sighed and waved a hoof at the creature. “Take these beasts, for instance. They are driven by hunger, and serve me as I released them from Tartarus, and promised them food.” She nodded towards the great doors of the castle. “There are ponies outside of this castle who serve me out of fear I may destroy them, and there are ponies who will oppose me until they are brought to a swift and brutal end.”

She turned to him. “But not you. You serve me out of loyalty to your country.”

Shining looked at her and saluted. “I serve my Queen for Equestria. It is the only way Equestria will survive.” he repeated his dogma, his mantra that got him through the night.

Nightmare Moon looked at him with almost sadness in her eyes. “Why do you believe that, Captain?”

He balked. His tongue seemed to feel dry and heavy. “Because Celestia is not here,” he said quietly, hearing the sorrow in his own voice.

The Queen nodded. “And why is she not here?”

Shining swallowed. His throat dry and itchy. “Because you... Defeated her... Your Grace.”

She rose from her seat and stepped towards the bat-like creature before her. Her horn ignited in a blaze of light blue magic, and grabbed the creature by the throat. With one swift motion, she cracked it’s neck and dropped it’s body.

“I did not defeat her, Shining Armour,” she murmured, regarding the creature’s body. Her tail swished behind her, sparkling as if a part of the night sky itself. “She surrendered without a fight.”

Shining started to feel anger rising in him.

She looked at him. “You do not believe me? Answer truthfully, Captain.”

With a pause, he shook his head gingerly. “I do not... Your Grace. Celestia would have fought for us all, she would have-”

She laughed mirthlessly. “She did, Captain. But she fought herself, not I.” She turned her head, gazing at the Moon through the stained glass windows depicting the ancient events of Equestria.

“She fought as she struggled to understand that I was inevitable. She knew she could not fight me once again. She knew the war I would enact would be brutal and endless. So she surrendered, instead entrusting the lives of all ponies to one.”

Nightmare Moon looked at her Captain and grinned maliciously. “Her student. Twilight Sparkle.”

Shining flinched visibly.

“Are you aware of her, Captain?” She narrowed her eyes, sensing his apprehension. “I will know If you lie to me.”

Again, Shining Armour nodded solemnly. “Twilight Sparkle... Is my sister, Your Grace.” He gritted his teeth and glared up at her as she regarded him coldly.

“What would you do to save Equestria, I wonder? Perhaps...” She strode up to him and cupped his face in her hoof. “Would you destroy your own sister?”

He wrenched his head away from her and stepped back. His eyes blazing with life, his two-tones mane falling into his eyes. “Never. I’d never hurt Twilight, no matter what you promised to do to Equestria!”

She looked at him in silence before giving him a smile. “Very well, Captain.”

Her words startled Shining again, and her smile seemed almost warm. “Wh... What?” He stammered. “Uh, Your Grace?”

The Queen once again turned away from him and looked up at the mural depicting Princess Celestia and her younger self defeating Discord. “I would never destroy my own sister as well.” Her voice was wrought with sorrow and mournfulness.

Shining’s jaw fell agape. “But, you-”

She rounded on him, her eyes hardened and piercing. “You are dismissed, Captain. Send a scribe in. I must summon my war council.”

He wavered, standing dumb for a moment.

The Queen glared at him and waved a hoof. “I will not say again, Captain.” Once again she resembled Nightmare Moon, scourge of Equestria and the Light, all pretence of somepony else wiped.

He quickly snapped a salute and clicked his hooves together. “Your Grace.” He turned and quickly made to leave, signalling for a robed pony to enter the Queen’s court, her words resonating in his mind as he travelled to the stable barracks.

“Perhaps,” he pondered, “I can’t believe I’m even thinking this, but perhaps she’s not wholly as evil as she seems...”