“Would you like to hear a story, dear niece?”
Twilight looked up from the books and scrolls she was desperately looking through, stared at her aunt. Luna smiled, read through a yellowing scroll before setting it aside. Twilight stared at her. Murderous, magic stealing vines from the Everfree were trying to spread over Equestria and maybe even the realms beyond, only Queen Celestia and King Noctis-only her parents-could currently fight them because the Elements were shattered because she wasn’t good enough and Princess Luna wanted to tell her a story?
The only story Twilight needed right now was how the hell to ascend to Alicornhood so she could join the fight. Luna unfurled a wing, patted her back. “Do not fret, Twilight-”
Twilight pulled away. “How can I not fret? How can you be so calm!”
Luna settled on the floor. “I have lived a long life, my dear. Things have been worse.”
Mirroring the movement, Twilight sat across from her, but couldn’t stop from drumming her hoof. “When? When have things ever been this bad?”
“When Discord murdered my parents and stole away the sun and moon. When Celestia and I had to journey over the Badlands and the Frozen Lands in search of the Elements. That is the story I wish to tell you. Our first night and the Demon Older Than The World we had to slay in order to pass through the Badlands.”
Twilight’s ears perked up. Demonology was not an area of study (sane) mages usually explored, but she had had some experience in it. She had heard of the Demons that predated Creation. They had been vanquished long ago. It was tempting…she shook her head. “I need to get back to this.”
She picked up another scroll. The words jumped off the page and did a jig. Luna placed her wing across her withers. “My dear, you fell asleep ten minutes ago and there is no time in the Dreaming. Relax for a moment and listen. I did not have the chance to spoil you with bedtime stories when you were a wee foal and I intend to do so now.”
Twilight yawned and the deep, dark library filled with innumerable books shifted and changed before her eyes into a vast plain of stars that she and Luna were floating in. Despite the unfamiliar sensation of floating (she really needed to study anti-gravity spells more!) and the oddness of nothing but a void filled with light surrounding her, she felt safe for the first time in days. Peace and love filled the void.
Luna began to speak and images appeared in the void that mirrored her words. A palace and city in flames. Insane, cackling laughter. The abomination Discord above it all. Guards slaughtering each other instead of working together to defend their city, caught up in his magic. And two sisters, horned and winged, but so fragile and young. Their richly colored robes were torn to shreds, their faces tear stained. They were fleeing the burning, doomed city, deaf to the cries of the subjects that they could not save. That world was doomed to fire and ruin, but they had heard a whisper of a far off crystal tree, far to the south, as far to the south as one could go. And upon the branches of that tree grew the six crystals containing the elements that made up the harmony that maintained the world.
But first, they had to cross the Badlands, which even in that age, was a vast desert where naught grew. But even worse, in those days Demons still roamed those lands which had not yet been tamed by the shamans of the Buffalo.
Their former habitation far behind them, the Two Sisters slammed down on the ground. Luna fell to her stomach on the hard earth and began to weep. The brown earth beneath her was cracked, a broken land whose scars spread off in thousands of directions. How could anything ever be whole again? The blue sky above her was cloudless, yet jarringly bright. Why did the normally yellow sun look so bright? It was the color of paper. She felt Celestia’s wing stroke her withers, long soothing movements that could not possibly soothe the agony in her heart. “Weep not, Sister. We yet have a duty to the realm.”
Luna pushed off the ground, whirled to face her sister, her teeth clamped tight together. “How can you not weep? How can she who brings the sun be so cold-hearted?”
Celestia closed her eyes, held back the tears threatening to spill over. “I am not cold. Do you think I do not grieve? I cannot. The world depends upon me acting rather than grieving.”
Luna’s chest heaved. “I will have Discord’s head.”
“As will I.”
Luna chuckled through her tears, a dark sound lacking mirth. “We will split it betwixt us. Is that fair?”
“’Tis fair, Sister. Let us walk.”
The strange unnatural light of the sun blistered down on them, made them sweat beneath their fur, but they continued their trek. Luna stomped down on the rocky land. “Sister, can you test your power against Discord? I do not know if I can survive this heat.”
Celestia focused, her horn lighting up as she struggled to take control of her birthright. Instead of responding to her in that familiar way that it should, a sudden jolt of pain ripped down her spine and she crashed down to the ground, Luna rushing to help her up. The elder sister said nothing as she stomped along the ground. They had a long walk before them, their wings both aching from their long flight. The heat warped the air. A Buffalo hurried along, noted the Two Sisters and stopped in his tracks.
“What are you doing in this cursed land, Your Majesties?”
“Do you know anywhere we can find some water?” Luna’s voice was raspy and cracked.
The Buffalo panted. “There is a river, Your Majesties, and a cave that could offer you some protection. What is wrong with the sun, Day Bringer?”
Celestia closed her eyes, took a deep breath. “There has been a disturbance I fear. Nothing for you to worry about.”
The Buffalo stared at them in that inscrutable way which spoke of the secret wisdom given to their race. “Should I alert the Shamans?”
“If you wish, but not much can be done about it.”
Suddenly, the sun sank and the moon jetted into the sky. All three gasped and stepped back. Morning and night flew again through the sky. The Sun and Moon stopped, together for a few moments. Luna and Celestia both could feel the ripping at the fabric of the Cosmos which their grandparents had worked so hard to weave. Each tear sent a shot of pain through their stomachs. Nothing. There was nothing they could do as Creation was defiled. Luna bit down on her trembling lips. Nothing they could do. Except keep on moving. Celestia forced a smile which Luna could tell was about to break.
(She was not quite as good in those days as keeping up the mask.) It was clear Celestia was biting onto her lip. “Thank you for telling us of the river. Could you show us which direction it is in Mr…”
“Rolling Thunder.” He pointed his head towards the west and then pulled his pack off his back. “I took too much water for myself. Please, have some.”
Luna and Celestia slipped two canteens from the pack and drank. The water refreshed their parched throats. They then laid the empty canteens on the ground.
Celestia cleared her throat. “Rolling Thunder. Your kindness will not be forgotten. May you and your sons and daughters rule over the Buffalo Tribes forever.”
That said, she lit her horn and focused. Tendrils of golden magic flowed from the horn and began to coalesce into long white feathers tipped with brown, bound together by a blue band decorated with red and yellow lines, two blue stars on either side.
Rolling Thunder gawked. “Your Majesty, I have no desire to rule-”
“Good. Those who wish to rule should not be granted power.”
Rolling Thunder knelt his head. “I accept this crown.”
Celestia placed it upon his head. “Get your tribes to safety. The mountains have tunnels that will lead you to an inner land where you may live in peace.”
Rolling Thunder ran and according to the legends of the Buffalo Tribes led them to that mountain. To this day, his ancestors rule over the Buffalo.
Luna paused in the tale. “To be honest, I fear Celestia was in fact feeling guilty as we did drink all his water.”
Twilight blinked. “So, that ancient Buffalo tale is true?”
“Indeed it is.”
She continued, the dream world shifting to take on the appearance of a desert where a narrow stream flowed through.
Panting once more from the heat, the Two Sisters stopped at the sparkling blue river. It was a curving blue stream winding through the broken earth, perhaps the only water for miles. Thunder was there, refilling his canteens. He frowned at the Princesses.
“We meet again. Tell me, Your Majesties, are you able to be harmed by demons?”
Luna raised an eyebrow. “They’d have to be particularly powerful, but yes. They could do us great harm.”
He placed his canteens back in his packs. “My apologies, I assumed no demon could harm those such as you so it slipped my mind. But one such creature does stalk this land. The shamans say he comes from the time before time.”
Celestia and Luna exchanged a glance; Luna cursing the fact that she hadn’t brought along her sword and bardin. Neither sister had for that matter, there had been no time, and there had been so much blood and they had had to flee as the dark flames had roared around them and they had had to flee, they’d had no choice, even as they’d heard the anguished pleas of their subjects-
“Aunt Luna! Aunt Luna!”
Luna stopped the tale and Twilight rested a hoof on her shoulder. “You didn’t betray your subjects then.”
“I know.”
“There was no way to help them.”
“I know.”
Twilight pressed her cheek to Luna’s.
Luna nuzzled her back. “Do you wish to hear more? Only a few seconds hath…have passed in the waking world.”
“I do want to hear more.” Twilight settled back onto her stomach and Luna continued the tale.
Thunder shuffled at the ground in a display of nervousness. “We do not go past this desert often. Farther down this river are good grasslands. Past that, the evil one stalks.”
Celestia bent down and nibbled at what little grass grew at the river’s banks, sad little shoots that struggled to rise from the brown land. “Can you tell me more about it?”
Thunder joined Celestia in grazing. Luna didn’t feel hungry. He swallowed his sparse meal. “It comes out at night.”
“A relative term lately.”
Luna snorted at Celestia’s attempt at humor. Thunder did not. “He has slain a great number of tribes. Our fathers dwelled there once, but he drove us out. Perhaps you should find another way.”
There was no other way. They could go around it, but that would only increase the length of their journey and they weren’t sure how long the world could endure that. To cross the West, they’d have to go through the ancient evil’s territory.
Celestia set her mouth in a firm line. “We must cross it. We have no other choice.”
“Please be careful, Your Majesties.”
For a few moments, they grazed in silence. Soon, it was time to start walking again. Thunder hurried to warn his people and make his journey into legend. The Two Sisters walked west through the featureless, flat land which was only occasionally broken by a cactus shooting up. Purple fruits bloomed from the thorny plants. Celestia plucked one, handed it to Luna, before taking one for herself.
Night fell and the stars danced across the sky. Luna stared up as the constellations shifted rapidly, seasons passing in moments. Months, years, centuries were passing within seconds.
No, the stars could no longer be used to tell time. Still, Discord had apparently decided it was time for the world to rest. They followed the river as it winded through the land, still not speaking. There didn’t seem to be anything that they could say.
“What do you think Mother and Father would tell us to do?” Celestia trotted at a brisk pace through the unnatural evening gloom.
Luna shuffled close to her. The moonlight and starlight above did not seem able to reach the land below. The whole world was bathed in darkness. That is the reason she clung so close to Celestia. Without the warmth of her presence and the steady clop of her hooves she might believe she was the last living thing on earth. She didn’t answer the question. It wasn’t a fair one. It wasn’t as if their Parents were here to tell them.
Or ever would be again.
“Celestia?”
“Yes, Luna?”
“Do you think we’re good enough?”
She stopped, the sound of her hooves clopping on the ground replaced by an eerie silence. There were no night birds. Where were the night birds? Or had they become confused? Celestia started to walk again, breaking into a quick canter that Luna struggled to keep up with. “Are you angry with me?” Luna’s voice sounded so small in the darkness.
Celestia trotted further away. “We don’t have time to think about such things we have to keep going.”
“Go where?” Luna heard it as her voice broke.
Celestia stomped towards her. “To the South.”
“To chase a myth?”
“It is no myth! Our Grandfather told us of it!”
“He claims he planted it, but how do we know the Tree is still there?”
Celestia marched so close to her, she felt her hot breath on her muzzle. “And what, dear little sister, do you suppose could have happened to it?”
Luna’s wings flared out in anger. “Do not condescend to me. I think we both have rather recently seen the dangers in this world! Who knows what abomination could have swallowed it up!”
Celestia stepped closer, forcing her to step further back. “We can’t start thinking like that! And what do you suggest we do? Give up?”
“Of course I’m not suggesting that! But I don’t know what to do!”
“We have no other choice but to go South then!”
Luna trembled. “What if we go back to the city? Take a stand against him!”
Celestia stomped her hoof. “Then we would die!”
“You know what that sounds like to me? Rank cowardice!”
The slap caught her off guard. Celestia hadn’t struck her since they were squabbling foals. And just as when they had been foals, Luna charged her. Celestia tried to spin out of the way, but Luna slammed her to the ground. Celestia swung her wing, throwing her into the air where Luna stopped her fall, spreading out her own wings and then shooting out a blast of energy which bounced off Celestia’s shield. Celestia dropped the shield and returned fire forcing Luna on the defensive, dodging each strike. The blasts were coming too quickly for her to put up a shield, one stray burst even singeing her wings. Each strike was rapid, grazing her fur and her legs. She was only able to just dodge them and then return fire. Whether any of her blasts hit was unknown to her, but then she heard wings slicing through the air and barely had enough time to throw up a shield which her sister’s magic slammed against.
“Coward!” Celestia shouted. “You call me a coward! We are the last hope of this world! Our duty is to live not throw away our lives on a suicide mission!”
Luna wildly fired and Celestia cried out. “A suicide mission is it! Better a suicide mission than a wild goose chase!”
“You don’t have to come!”
“Perhaps I won’t!”
“Fine! I don’t need you anyway! I’ll do it myself! You go fight Discord! See if I care!”
A blast of wind sent her sprawling. It was Celestia departing, her wing beats stirring up a small storm. Luna didn’t have time to right herself, instead crashing onto the ground.
Twilight winced. “Celestia really said that?”
Luna shrugged. “We were the equivalent of teenagers. Do you not blush to recall anything you said as an adolescent?”
“I want to hear more of the story now.”
“’Twas what I thought.”
Luna pulled herself up. She was alone. That was fine. She stepped through the darkness. The strange light of the dimmed stars and moons provided some guidance now that she was used to them. For a while she could hear the frenzied beating of her sister’s wings. Then, she was gone. Luna spread her own wings and floated into the air, allowing the soft air currents to lift her up. (The winds were still moving. The King of the Winds must still be alive! Hope surged within her heart. She and Celestia must not be the last Alicorns.) A jagged ribbon of yellow lightning cut through the sky and she squealed as she dodged it. She looked around, searching for some careless Pegasus to take out her wrath on, but none was there.
Wild lightning…
She dodged once more and summoned a shield which rain pelted against. She zoomed through the storm while lightning split the sky and the boom of thunder shook the land. There was a network of caves, Thunder had told them. She switched to night vision (a skill her sister lacked, she smugly thought to herself.) The caves appeared before her, yawning mouths leading into the mountain. Shuddering with the ancestral memories of a prey species, she flew into the cave so quickly she slammed into something. There was an affronted-and familiar-shout and Luna found herself in a tangle of limbs. Whoever it was knocked her off and she landed on her hooves. “We meet again, Sister.”
“Luna. You have night vision, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Yet, you did not see me.”
“Are you implying I slammed into you deliberately?”
“I’m certainly not implying you didn’t.”
Luna rolled her eyes. “Don’t give me that throne speech.”
Celestia lifted up her regal chin, her chest puffed out. “Well. I suppose we can camp together.”
Luna turned. “Or I can seek a new cave. I know when I’m not wanted.”
She stopped when she felt Celestia’s hoof on her shoulder. “Please. I’m sorry we quarreled. And for what I said.”
Luna stiffened, then her eyes watered. “I’m sorry too.”
They fell into each other, sobbing and holding onto each other tightly. After a few moments they calmed down again, but still held each other as if afraid letting the other go would cause her to disappear. At last they separated. Celestia lit her horn and a fire blazed into life. They huddled near its warmth though they still nestled close.
Celestia cleared her throat. “The weather is no longer beneath the Pegasi’s dominion.”
Luna stared into the flames. “The world is his now.”
“It will not be for long. We will take it back.”
“Will we?”
Celestia didn’t answer. “I’m going to miss palace food.”
Luna snorted. “You’re going to miss cake, you mean.”
“Aren’t you?”
“So much. I’m going to look for lichen.” She rose and trailed further back into the darkness of the cave where the light of the crackling flames did not reach. Sniffing the air, she caught the scent of lichen. The spongy vegetation sprawled across the stone walls in a verdant profusion. Pressing her muzzle to it, she began to nibble. Not the tastiest food, but not terrible. Celestia slid up beside her. “Keeping all the lichen for yourself?”
“It is not particularly enviable fare.”
There was a rumbling from farther back and they huddled close to one another as they grazed. Luna swallowed her lichen, unconsciously hid herself beneath Celestia’s fully spread wing. “Did that sound like a voice to you?”
Celestia urged her to walk back towards where the flames were still blazing away. Normally, Luna would have objected to being herded like a foal. Yet, she clung tightly to Celestia’s side. The argument-like so many other spats-was now forgotten. The stress of the day had finally caught up to them and they laid down on their stomachs, still close together. A gust of wind blew out the flames and Luna yelped. Celestia lit her horn again, but no flames came out. Luna shivered. Where had the magic gone?
Celestia gulped. “This is not Discord’s doing.”
“Then whose?” Luna hated to admit she snuggled closer to Celestia yet so it was.
“Awwww!”
Luna rolled her eyes. “I was essentially a very large filly.”
“Awwwww!”
“Anyway going back to my story…”
Twilight sighed. “I miss my big sister sometimes.”
Luna patted her head. “In this state of emergency, Sunset is quite likely to make an appearance after she deals with things in her own realm.”
Twilight smiled brightly. “She visits every weekend and she promised she might move back. She could be home for supper every night and still do her duties in the day.”
Luna smiled. “I know what it’s like to miss one’s elder sister. Twas my main regret on the moon.”
Twilight nuzzled her and then plopped back down. “So, then what happened?”
Try as they might, the Sisters could not sleep. Roars and growls emanated from the back of the cave, kept them from sweet slumber. The roars began to sound like words. Luna shuddered and opened her eyes. “Who’s there?”
No one answered. Luna stood, flared her wings. “I heard you! Answer me!”
Miraculously, Celestia did not awake from her slumber. Luna marched forward, head lowered, summoning strands of the deep magic though there was little of it. Her father had once told her that Celestia was Equestria’s shield-she was its sword. A macabre grin spread across her face and she slashed at the air, pawed at the ground. Tonight, the sword would be unsheathed. Let Celestia tell her she wasn’t needed when she presented the demon’s head to her in the morning. She stalked further into the darkness, shadows banished by the blue glow of her horn. The growls were getting louder, beginning to form words. “Why do you stay with her?”
Luna froze. The gravelly voice had come from the very end of the cave. Tendrils of shadow began to undulate. “Why do you stay with the Dawn Bringer?”
She hacked at a tendril that came too close. “She is my sister!”
A tendril shot straight for her and she jumped back, but not soon enough. The tendril grabbed her horn and she yanked back, feeling something very large was connected to the tendril. “You are stronger than her. I feel it. Your rage, your hate!”
Luna thrashed around wildly. “Those things do not make you strong!” A scream ripped from her throat as the tendrils tightened their grip, coming from all directions. She drew up magic from her core, her fur electrifying with power that ignited the tendrils. The demon roared in pain, flames erupting along it. Luna jumped back as the thing that should not be retreated. It chuckled, a sound that shook the walls and Luna wondered where Celestia was. She needed a shield.
“I have put your sister into a deep sleep. She will not wake. Let us speak.”
This thing could read her thoughts? She charged into the void, slammed into something and cried out as that something threw her down like she was naught but a doll. The demon chuckled. “Poor child. So weak. Run home to your mother…oh right. You can’t.”
Luna gasped, shivered. Every muscle in her body tensed up and she screamed, slamming into the demon, ripping at its flesh. The demon only laughed while Luna drew back panting. Blue blood dripped down her horn. The demon drew back its tendrils. “I would like to propose an alliance, Dusk Bringer.”
Luna grit her teeth. “I would never make an alliance with one such as you.”
Its tendril brushed against her face. “I sense the rage in you, the anger.”
Luna wanted to run, but found her body frozen. “Would you not be angry to see your kingdom ripped away, your family…” She couldn’t say the word.
“I ate my mother and father, can’t say I relate. But I do feel your power. I can teach you how to use it. I will teach you to become strong enough to overthrow the Chaos Lord. Empress Luna. A nice ring, no?”
Luna stepped back. “And in return?”
The demon’s tendrils shook. “What of it?”
Luna shook her head. “We belong to the Cosmic Races. We both know the Laws and one of those Laws is exchange. What do you want from me?”
The demon came closer. “I will hand you the throne of all Equestria and every nation beyond. In return, you will compel your subjects to worship me with the blood of their offspring.”
Luna laughed. “Now I understand. You are either foolish or insane. Here’s a better exchange. Let me and my sister leave this place unbothered and we will allow you to live.”
“You need to learn how to bargain, little foal.”
A blast of magic sent her tumbling to the ground. Luna struggled up to her hooves and bolted as arrows of shadow surged towards her. A hasty shield deflected many of the arrows and she kept galloping until she skidded to a stop near Celestia. A spray of rocks and dirt kicked up from her frenzied galloping failed to wake her. She laid at Celestia’s side, began to chant. She needed to reserve her magic, so word spells it was. Celestia’s eyes fluttered open. “Luna? What’s wrong?”
Luna panted. “There is a demon in this cave.”
Celestia scrambled up, suddenly completely awake. “We have to get out of here!”
Luna snorted. “I was going to suggest we go and fight him. You really are a coward.”
Celestia’s teeth grit together. “Call me that again and I will buck you into that wall.”
“Coward.”
She deftly lept out of the way of Celestia’s bucking, landed on the ground. Celestia shook her head. “My apologies, but you are prancing on my last nerve-”
“Quiet.” The word was like a blast of mage fire in the silent space. Luna lifted her hoof, pointed. Shadows were blocking the entrance. Celestia trotted over, pressed a hoof to it. It was like solid stone. Luna whirled around, bucked it, cried as the force sent her crashing to the ground. Celestia helped her up. “We’re trapped.”
“I couldn’t help but notice.”
“Then, the only way out is through.”
Luna strode forward. “Well, it’s not like I was going to go back to sleep tonight.”
Celestia came up beside her. “Would it be best to wait till morning?”
Luna snorted. “And when will that be?”
Celestia conceded the point and continued to walk alongside her deeper into the yawning darkness. The Sun Princess strode forward ahead of her, chest puffed out, chin lifted high. Luna groaned. She wasn’t actually going to do it, was she?
She was. Celestia raised her voice as they got to the back of the cave. “Listen here, Demon!”
It laughed and the walls trembled. “Ho Dawn Bringer.”
Celestia’s horn lit, golden light spiraling from her horn. “I am Queen Celestia Sol Invictus, Daughter of Queen Galaxia and King Cosmos, Empress of Ponykind, Ruler of All Equestria-”
Luna cleared her throat. “Ahem.”
“Co-Ruler of All Equestria, Raiser of the Sun! You shall release us from this imprisonment!”
Its horrid laughter grew only louder. “Raiser of the Sun are you? Then raise it now. Go on, I’ll wait.”
Celestia’s legs trembled beneath her. “I will.”
“Go on, Your Majesty. Raise the sun and I will release you.”
She clenched her jaws and her eyes glowed with golden light. The golden energy shimmered over her as she reached out her senses to obtain that orb which was her birthright. Sweat popped up on her brow, stung her eyes. With a screech of frustration, she collapsed onto her stomach. Luna rushed to help her up. The demon’s laughter was like the crumbling of stone. Luna growled. “Don’t dare laugh at her!”
Its tentacles undulated in amusement. “And what shall you do about it, Child? Really, by keeping you here, I’m keeping you safe. The world is much too large for little children like you to run around in.”
Celestia panted. “What do you want from us?”
“I want your sister, not you.” Its voice was filled with disgust. “I sense something in her and I want it.”
Celestia flared out her wing in front of Luna as if to shield her. “You cannot have her.”
It slid its tentacles forward. “Then you shall never leave this cave, not while I yet live.”
Luna smirked. “That can be fixed.”
“An idle boast.”
Celestia pulled her back with a wing. “We need a strategy.”
The thing’s tentacles waved back and forth. “I can hear you I’ll let you know.”
Luna and Celestia both backed away. The tendrils snaked outward, stroked along Luna’s face. It felt strangely comforting and she found herself leaning into it. The undulating tentacles had a hypnotic affect. “She doesn’t need you. She told you so.”
Celestia stroked her withers. “I’m sorry I said that, it isn’t true, don’t listen to him.”
The demon’s voice no longer sounded so frightening. As it stroked her face, it felt…warm. Fatherly. Like her father’s hoof patting her cheek after she cried. She took a few steps towards it.
“No! Luna, please!” Celestia’s magic held her back legs in place. “Please don’t go to him!”
Luna threw off her hold, stepped even closer towards the open jaws of the demon, so close she could see the acid dripping off the rings of teeth. Celestia was weeping behind her. Luna stopped. Then she spun around and swung her back legs against its teeth. It screeched in agony and Luna barely teleported away in time to avoid a retaliatory lash from its tentacles. “I will never go with you. Never. How much clearer do I need to make it?”
She darted back to Celestia. “Cease your wailing. The Queen of All Equestria should conduct herself with more dignity.”
Celestia wiped at her eyes. “I really thought…”
“You thought wrong.” Though, there had been a moment, the briefest of moments…she shook the thoughts away. They stood close, their horns lowered.
“Any ideas, dear Queen?”
“None at all, fair Princess.”
They summoned a shield, putting their horns together. The demon hissed as its tentacles burned against the shield. It pulled back. “A neat parlor trick.”
But they heard the slight tremble in its voice. It was afraid. They shared a grin and dropped the shield. Charged with magic, they lunged at the demon, piercing into its flesh. It cried out, its tentacles knocking them into the air. They tried to steady themselves, but slammed into the rock wall, stones breaking down on them. Luna jumped up, wings snapping out and knocking aside the stones, Celestia stumbling up a few seconds later and rushing the demon only to be grabbed by its tentacles. She struggled, swung her horn in a wide arc, a jet of golden light slicing away the tentacles. A blue blast of energy erupted from Luna’s horn, knocked the demon back. Celestia landed at Luna’s side.
The demon roiled, its tentacles snapping back to its side. Luna and Celestia threw their shield back up. Luna hissed to Celestia in the High Speech. “We can’t hold out forever.”
Celestia kept focused on holding up the shield. “We need to think of a strategy.”
“I’m open to suggestions!” She grunted when a tentacle struck the shield. Celestia took a breath. “We can’t just attack him directly.”
Luna pawed at the ground, snorted. “Wanna bet?”
“You wouldn’t live to collect on that bet.” Celestia poured more energy into the shield. Cracks were starting to appear.
Luna added her own power. “Come on, Miss Chess Master.”
“Give me time to think!”
The shield shook from a hard strike that rattled their bones. “We don’t have time!”
Celestia grit her teeth. “Let him exhaust himself?”
“Good luck with that one!”
The demon was not running out of energy, slamming his tentacles against the shield, giving them no time to counterattack. Celestia closed her eyes, breathed. “Drop the shield.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Not until you explain yourself!”
“Trust me, Sister. Do you trust me?”
Luna sighed. “You know I do.”
“Then do it. Drop the shield.”
Luna obeyed, cutting off the flow of energy. Celestia darted in the way of the tentacles. “Get out of here!”
Luna froze. “What?”
Celestia cried out as the tentacles struck, flinging her in the air. She stood again, rooting herself in the ground. “You will not take my sister from me! Luna, run!”
“Like Tartarus I will! You are the elder! You are Equestria’s last hope! Leave me!”
She jumped before Celestia just as the tentacles struck. They stood alongside each other, bloodied, bruised and battered, both taking the blows meant for the other, neither allowing a single strike to touch their sister. The demon recoiled. “What is this?”
It trembled. It was afraid, yet swung out its tentacles towards Luna, Celestia jumping before the strike, this time falling. Luna flew over her, shielding her. The demon hissed, threw out its tentacles, ripped at Luna’s flesh. Blood dripped down on the ground and Luna panted, but she would not move. Celestia struggled to stand and Luna batted away another strike. She spread out a wing and a tentacle struck against it.
They stood side-by-side and the demon inched away. Both threw up a shield. Luna’s blue aura shielded Celestia, Celestia’s gold around Luna. The demon hissed in pain. “Very well. Leave this place! Your power is too great for me!”
For it was the deep magic, the very deep magic, of sacrifice. Love is that which no demon can withstand. Still shielding one another, they fled, merging their shields and rushing out into the cool desert night.
…
Twilight found herself awake in the library.
Luna smiled down at her. “We encountered many other demons along the way, slaying each one. So long as we stuck together, we knew we could overcome anything.”
Twilight stretched. “That was an amazing story, but I question if a rockslide would have knocked out Mom like that. How come you recovered so much more quickly?”
Luna smirked. “Details, child, only details. Artistic embellishments. Ask Celestia for her own version of events.”
“I will, soon as I find whatever spell book will help me become an Alicorn.”
Luna nodded. “Perhaps it is in the basement. Seems a place Discord would hide it.”
“Or in a volcano.”
“It was indestructible and I sense it is here.”
Twilight followed Luna. “So, you really think we can defeat Discord’s vines?”
Luna smiled, nuzzled her. “So long as you keep your faith and love for your friends, I know you can.”
