The Lord of the Ponies: The Friendship of Equestria

Ch.11 Luna, Princess of the Night

Twilight teleported some short distance from the domain of Princess Luna, ruler of Equestrian night. Luna's castle, like the Unicorn Range, was magically shielded, so nopony could teleport within the grounds.

While many ponies believed that because of Luna's royal stature, the lunar Alicorn resided in Canterlot, they were sorely mistaken. Nestled in the southern forest at the foot of the Unicorn Range, the tall obsidian tower of Orthanc was clearly visible, even amongst the strangely engorged trees. Twilight Sparkle galloped through the gate, into the fortress of Isengard, a great ring-wall of stone, a mile from rim to rim. The intimidating fortress enclosed beautiful trees and a garden, watered by streams that flowed down from the mountains. But with the Changeling invasion of the Unicorn Range, the water ceased to flow down from the mountains. Because of this, the natural beauty of Isengard slowly began to fade away, and soon, only the inanimate rock of Orthanc would be left as company for the lunar Alicorn.

"Smoke rises from the Smokey Mountain. The hour grows late. And fair Twilight meets us in our home, seeking our counsel." Luna's Royal Canterlot Voice boomed through the stagnant silence of the forest. Luna, the dark Alicorn, with hair of flowing starlight, trotted down the high steps from her door, to meet her dearest friend at the foot of the stairs.

"For that is why thou has come, is that not the truth? Our dear friend." Luna's voice returned to a normal pitch, a valuable lesson which she had learned during the last Nightmare Night festival.

"Princess Luna." Twilight Sparkle respectfully bowed to her Princess, and steadied her courage for what news she needed to report.

"Come walk with us. We see that something troubles thy fair complexion." Luna's sultry voice beckoned Twilight to follow, to which the lavender Unicorn did without hesitation.

***

The walk through the agrarian garden was peaceful; the trees were silent and courteous for the conversation shared between Princess Luna and Twilight Sparkle. But even the amicable atmosphere of the garden was ill-prepared to impede the disturbing truth of Twilight's news.

"You are sure of this news which you bring us?" Luna's tone sufficed worry, the news which Twilight Sparkle brought her troublesome indeed.

"Beyond any doubt." Twilight's tone was unquestionably astute, sure of the authenticity of the news which she had just revealed to Princess Luna.

"So The Ring of Power has been found." Luna tasted the words that left her tongue... they did not sit well with her appetite.

"All these long years, it was in Ponyville. Under my very nose." Twilight's voice exposed a certain disappointment; the lavender Unicorn's inability to identify such an important artifact clearly took its toll on her pride.

"Yet, for even all thou amazing intellect, thou couldn't have seen it?" Luna's response was more of a remark than a question, her agitation betraying itself.

"Your love of Applejack's cider, has clearly slowed thoust's mind." Luna's unbridled agitation inflamed her speech, which upset Twilight Sparkle, but there were more pressing matters at hand than her feelings.

"But we still have time. Time enough to counter Sauron if we act quickly." Twilight hastened her steps, as if physically taking on her need to counter Sauron in the fastest time.

"Time?" Luna's question sucked the momentum from Twilight, and the lavender Unicorn's pace halted.

"What time dost thou think we have?" asked Luna.

***

In her tower of Orthanc, Princess Luna sat with Twilight in her small, but cluttered study; the lunar Alicorn relayed to Twilight what she had seen in The Unicorn range, "Sauron has regained much of his former strength. He cannot yet take physical form, but his spirit has lost none of its potency." Luna's tone grew increasingly darker, and in effect, Twilight grew increasingly disheartened.

"Concealed within his fortress, the Lord of the Changelings sees all. His gaze pierces cloud, shadow, earth and flesh. You know of what we speak of, Twilight," Luna's words preluded to what the Dark Lord has taken as his current form, a form which Twilight had the displeasure of envisioning, "A Great Eye, lidless, wreathed in flame."

"The Eye of Sauron." Twilight was familiar with the form of this new evil.

"He is gathering all evil to him. Very soon, he'll have summoned an army great enough to launch an assault on Equestria," continued Princess Luna.

Twilight's countenance revealed a certain confusion. Yes, she had seen what new shape the Dark Lord has taken, but for anypony, even the ruler of Equestrian night, to know what Princess Luna did, it seemed impossible.

"You know this? How?" asked Twilight.

Luna turned and stared into the cavernous central chamber; at its center stood a pedestal which supported a covered object.

"We have seen it," stated the lunar Alicorn.

Twilight realized by what means Luna had gazed into the enemy's camp, and it brought unrest to her psyche. She rushed into the main chamber, prepared to lecture Luna on the dangers of such objects, "A Palantir is a dangerous tool, Luna."

"Why? Why should we fear to use it?" Luna was unconvinced of Twilight's suspicions, and it showed in her argument.

Luna, with horn glowing azure, magically flung the cloth back from the spherical object, revealing a Palantír: an orb of black glass, with what looked like wisps of cloud floating inside.

"They are not all accounted for, the lost Seeing-stones. We do not know who else may be watching." Twilight's horn glowed amethyst, and she took the cloth from the floor, and placed it back upon the pedestal.

Twilight Sparkle received feedback from the Palantír, another vision of the Eye of Sauron. Immediately, warning bells rang off in her head. Was Sauron watching this entire conversation unfold now in secret, or had one of her dearest friends succumb to the persuasiveness of the enemy? Twilight trained her eyes upon Luna, as the lunar Alicorn circled around her.

"The hour is later than thoust think. Sauron's forces are already moving. The Nine have left Minas Morgul," stated Princess Luna.

"The Nine?" Twilight's voice was hoarse, but her apparent shock was unmistakable.

"They crossed the river Isen during the last Summer Sun Celebration, disguised as ponies in black," continued the night Princess.

"They've reached Ponyville?" Twilight grew increasingly worried: the time was later than she thought, and her friend Apple Bloom might pay dearly for her delay.

"They will find The Ring. And kill the one who carries it." Princess Luna's tone stayed neutral for the entire conversation, and to anypony who watched closely, small smiles occasionally curved her lips.

"Apple Bloom!" Twilight turned and tried to rush from the room, but the exit closed in her face.

Twilight turned again, to find Luna smiling coyly, as if the Alicorn were a spider, who was watching a fly's vain attempts at escape from her web for cruel entertainment. Twilight moved towards another door, but a simple glance from Luna caused it to shut. Again, Twilight moved to the last exit, which closed to the silent commands of Princess Luna.

"Have you ever wondered why we weren't there to save Canterlot when the Changelings attacked? You see, we were caught by surprise, and placed in a cocoon just like our dear sister, Celestia. But I had a vision in my shell, the image of the Great Eye encompassed our thoughts. He reminded us of the power which we once had, the power to defeat our sister, the Sun Goddess," recalled Princess Luna.

Princess Luna paused for dramatic effect, and it took its toll on Twilight; the lavender Unicorn's complexion distorted with dawning horror.

"We remembered the power of Nightmare Moon, and how, with the help of Sauron, we could once again plunge Equestria into a glorious, endless night!" exclaimed Luna.

Luna's body burst with violet energy, her form growing to Celetsia's stature. Ebony armor plated her body, and her hair grew into a mist of twinkling starlight. Sauron had reawakened Nightmare Moon inside of Luna, and so Nightmare Moon stood before Twilight Sparkle, so the lavender Unicorn could bask in her regal presence.

"We must join him, Twilight. We must join with Sauron. And together, we will be more powerful than ever before!" Nightmare Moon hoped Twilight would accept her offer. She'd hate to kill such a dear friend.

"Tell me...friend," Twilight's words filtered through a layer of sarcasm, which Nightmare Moon perceived, "When did the great Luna abandon reason for madness?" Twilight's accusation struck deep into Nightmare Moon's pride, which enraged the Mare of the Moon greatly.

Nightmare Moon's horn glowed a deep blue; Twilight was suddenly blasted across the room. The lavender mare was slammed against the wall, pinned by an unseen force. Twilight focussed her energies to break Nightmare Moon's grip. The lavender Unicorn fell to the floor, successful in her efforts. She then shot a bolt of violet magic, which struck Nightmare Moon in the chest, and ripped the Alicorn's legs out from under her.

War cries rang through the room as the two enemies shared blows, sending each other into the wall, or causing them to fall to the hard floor. Nightmare Moon eventually gained the upper hoof, and flipped Twilight Sparkle from one side of the room to the other; the immeasurable amount of punishment sustained by the Unicorn fractured bones and damaged soft tissue. The jarring sensation of being tossed from each end of the room and back didn't leave Twilight room to calculate an accurate shot against the hostile Alicorn. However, against her better judgement, Twilight shot a wild bolt of unknown magical properties, which struck Nightmare Moon, and sent the lunar Alicorn through one of the closed doors.

Finally free of Nightmare Moon's magical grasp, Twilight realized the intensity of the pain caused by the hostile Alicorn's assault. Her equine body ached in all the wrong places. Twilight heard cracks and pops when she stood, but she couldn't give up now. She had to meet Apple Bloom. But alas, this was not to be.

Nightmare Moon recovered from her recent expulsion; her sapphire eyes blazed angrily, like the fire of a blue sun. Channeling the intimate fire of hate into a magical blast, Nightmare Moon shot a beam of crackling energy at Twilight Sparkle, which hit its mark. Twilight's horn exploded, and with that, the lavender mare's magic was temporarily expunged. Nightmare Moon laughed maniacally at Twilight's sudden vulnerability, and she again took control of the lavender Unicorn's body, forcing Twilight to the floor.

"I gave you the chance, of aiding me willingly. But you, have elected, the way of PAIN!" And with that Nightmare Moon levitated Twilight towards the ceiling, as if gravity had been reversed for the powerless Unicorn.

Twilight screamed the entire way to the top, a long way to scream with the tower seemingly endless. Windows flashed past, revealing to the helpless Unicron glimpses of the height she resided, a terrifying variable which increased at a staggering rate. The ceiling was in sight now, and as Twilight approached the solid obsidian barrier, she screamed louder, in the vain hope that Princess Celestia could save her now.

The emptiness of the unconscious overtook Twilight Sparkle as she slammed into the stone ceiling, and entered the domain of dreams...the domain of Nightmare Moon.