Verve

The journey back to the ship was made with verve; a spirited jog that cut the miles to ribbons beneath their hooves and feet. Thankfully, it didn’t take long to find their lightly snow dusted ship. Due to the effects of the Feywild, the engines were still warm and easy to turn over.

Inflating the balloon took only some patience, as the ship soon graced the sky low, and angled north; to the cut in the mountains. With the whirling propellers rattling quietly, and the gears set, they charted their path around the mountains. It was… mostly uneventful, but a bubbling energy pumped into the party’s veins. This is it. Everything they’ve worked for was coming to a close, and the looming moonlit castle seemed like a daunting task.

Under the cover of the mountains, and in the quiet of the still falling snow, they pressed on - this close to the Unicorn Range was barren of even the most rural houses, and it was the perfect angle to cut under the view of Celestia’s stolen home.

“Do you really think she’s just… standing there, on your balcony, watching the sun set for the final time?” Arin prodded his former lover; and in response, she gave a cruel laugh. Like life itself told a joke at her expense.

“She’s probably practicing her monologue as we speak. Don’t put anything past her; Nightmare Moon is the alter-ego of my Sister. And as mature as Luna may pretend to be, she had idle fantasies of knights and castles with all the grandeur a fairytale life could provide. In some way, when none of what royalty gave her fit the bill, she became the stereotypical villain of the old fantasy novels she once cherished. She was tired of playing nice, and if playing nice wouldn’t give her what she wanted - then being ‘mean’ would. Nightmare Moon may be a fragment of the Entity, but she still holds pieces of Luna’s old self within her. And now, my sister is trapped inside.”

Umbra soon joined them, carrying her scythe across her shoulder in a hoof. “I recall in our battle long past, that Nightmare Moon stirred within her long before you banished her, Princess. When you lay defeated at my hooves, it was Nightmare Moon’s power that gave her the upper hoof to strike me down. Even with the Alicorn amulet, I was no match - and thus I cast the Crystal Empire into the shadows in a bid for time.”

The red maned mare sighed, bowing her head. “And now, we both stand beneath her, Umbra. Though we were enemies at the time, in the end, both of us were in grave danger. Even now, this plan - as foolhardy as it seems, may be our best chance at saving Equis.”

Umbra rested her head against Arin’s side, watching the stars twinkle among the snow. With his hand stroking through her mane, she felt a thought enter her mind; one she’s been entertaining for several days, since Falon brought Arin into his herd.

“Celestia, am I a citizen of Equestria?” the former Umbrum asked, at which point the Princess turned to face her properly.

“It can be arranged; I would have done so three years prior, if Leotoln didn’t have other plans for me. If you’d like, I could also have researchers investigate your history - perhaps you have distant relations, somewhere in the far north?”

Umbra shook her head, her green eyes settling on Celestia’s light magenta gaze. “I am content with who I am, thank you. I do not need old heritage to find peace; the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.”

It had been quite a while since the Princess had heard the full and proper saying; most ponies tend to state quite the opposite by shortening it down. In fact, those who try to denounce one’s friendships with the newer, shorter version of the statement alone seem to always be on the less than kind spectrum. In the end, it is not the circumstances of one’s birth that defines who you are, but rather what one does with the gift of life itself.

By now, Pumpkin had appeared on deck at Tempest’s command, turning the helium pumps on at full blast. “Stupid airships,” she mumbled, “why can’t we all ride brooms, or… have… stupid wings… hmf.”

She yanked the cord, the small engines on the pumps sparking and crackling to life. Quickly, she rejoined her lover to stay warm - despite the fact that Tempest was basically a walking suit of armor. Perhaps it was because Sun Song gleamed gently at her side, a soft heat rolling off of it despite the bitter cold.

Their attention turned to the castle far above them, obscured by the balloon. Tempest had cut the engines down to a crawl, drifting ever higher like a spectre in the night. Oarkin watched as the dimly lit stone of the mountain’s cliffs passed them by, speaking quietly to Vee - who preened at his side.

“Strange. I had never been so close to the castle before! Only seen it, from the north. It is much more… ah, blyad - imposing than I would have thought!”

“D’ohoho!~ It’s a big one, that’s for sure. Psst! Giant-fry, do you hear that? It’s the sound of the good stuff below - it's boiling. Oho, I’ll be right back~ Tell the other fry’s that the beans are ready for the sipping.”

Vee quickly flapped her way down the steps, after Oarkin waved the spare ponies - and former King Arin - to gather around him for a drink. Hot pints of coffee were carried up on a platter by Vee, who silently passed the piping hot wooden tankards around with an excited ‘d’ohoho’.

“Oho, I’ve been waiting for this moment for weeks!” she chimed, settling on her hooves. She had already added cream and sugar to everypony’s drink, to save them the hassle - along with a couple bits and baubles of witchy herbs to spice things up.

“Blech, Vee, you know I hate coffee…” Pumpkin frowned, holding her mug beneath her. Even Tempest chanced a second away from the wheel, to take a cuppa for the road.

“It’s alright, Smols! Everypony is entitled to wrong opinions. Now drink your beans, it’s good for your heart!” Vee quickly gulped down a big glug of the piping hot drink, groaning in bliss. Celestia definitely had good tastes in coffee. Maybe she could forget her ugly mane! Before you ask, Vee wouldn’t - but there was hope!

“Is it really good for one’s heart?” Celestia questioned, after taking a deep drag from her drink.

“No. D’ohoho!” Vee poured from a spare pot on hoof, stomping a hindleg quietly to the floor in bliss. She had to fan away a soft blush forming on her cheeks with a wing, too. Apparently it was that good. “Aw yis. Mutha. Buckin’. Royal coffee. EXCEPTIONAL for the feathers, oho~”

Arin knew it was the quality stuff; he brewed a couple cups for himself before, but… in Vee’s expert hooves, dare he say it - he almost had to punch something. It just… it was amazing. This stuff could probably keep him wired for a week, with… whatever she added, and the flavor was almost malty and chocolatey, rich, deep… absolutely stunning.

“Po per’yam,” Oarkin whispered, downing the entire pint in one go. “Small purple horse, marry me. If you make this every day, you are a beautiful soul.”

“D’ohoho, I’m in a relationship~ The relationship is with coffee. My first love, and my last~”

Celestia coughed and sputtered, stopping mid drink to pull out a very long purple feather from her maw. Umbra nearly choked on her cuppa, as Celestia threw it to the floor.

“VEE! You put that in there on purpose!” The Princess glowered, as the Purple in question smirked. She withdrew a wing, blocking her sight from all the ugliness before her as the dreaded words came from her mouth.

“Neigh.”

The Princess’s nostrils flared, but eventually - she dropped the case, as they were finally falling in line with the lowest platform. The waters from the falls had long since frozen over, leaving an eerie quiet that hung in the air.

“Tia, Arin, Pumpkin, Vee - positions. Finish your drinks and prepare yourselves. Oarkin, Umbra - we’re going to catch a lot of eyes, prepare yourselves for a fight. We’re about to-”

A gold clad pegasi landed with a beat of his wings on deck, scanning the crew members in confusion with his blue tinted pupils. “I believe this ship is off course, you’re supposed to…”

His eyes fell on Celestia, and with a panicked yelp - attempted to bolt into the air. But Arin was a mile ahead, and instinctively shot his vine hook towards his target; the hook hit hard, denting the guard’s chest armor before the Seraph yanked roughly with his dominant hand. The pegasus missed the beat on his wings, and crashed to the floor of the deck - Umbra stepping in with a precise slash from her scythe to end his calls.

The necklace beneath her armor gleamed slightly, as the spectral being of the pegasi gazed up at them in terror. Immediately, he tried to attack like the cornered soldier he was - but his hooves harmlessly swung right through them, as if they weren’t even there. When he realized that he couldn’t do anything but panic - his wings spread and he darted into the dark - vanishing in mere seconds.

“Celestia’s team! Go! He’s going to find a pony with half a brain, and the alarms will ring. MOVE!”

Arin, Vee, and Celestia spread their wings wide - Pumpkin attempting to hop on her broom before quickly realizing… She's a solar witch. And her power came from solar magic; none of which was present.

Celestia stalled in air, and turned her horn to the crafted pommel; in a flash, she cast a quick enchantment to give it life, and the little Pumpkin mare darted into the sky after them.

The group of four landed on the iced gardens in front of the barracks, Arin stopping them from barging in as he pressed an ear to the door.

All was quiet. Not a soul stirred within. Gently, he tried the handle - and it gave with little resistance.

“Vee, in front. Celestia, behind Vee. Pumpkin, in front of me. Be silent. When I clench my fist, we move.” Arin raised his hand, as the alarm bells above the castle began to ring in defiance to the quiet night air. If any guards were sleeping, they would soon be roused by a bell pegasi for battle. With the door cracked open, and his ears straining to hear in the quiet, he waited for the flapping of wings to follow.

He quietly turned the door open, just as an armored pegasus came rocketting down the stairwell. “AT A-”

Thunk. Sonata flashed an arrow into the Elite Guard’s neck, and with a sparkle of Vee’s enchanted bangle on Arin’s wrist, the pegasi turned into a spectral ghost of himself. He didn’t even notice, as he continued to yell and scream in pure silence.

Arin stepped into the room with an arrow drawn, but found no other guards standing to face them. A few turned over in their deep sleep, an array of snores meeting them.

With a clench of the Seraph’s fist, the party quietly sneaked their way up the stairs, despite the near invisible ghost swinging invisible hooves at them. When nothing worked, he darted up the stairway in total silence - just as the party broke into a dead sprint. Or… well, gallop, for most.

Tempest gave the wheel a dramatic spin as she gave a call for more helium - Oarkin gently turning the knob to max.

“Keep your magic at the ready! Guard the balloon until my call!” The Commander billowed, as the rough winds picked up with their speed. They shot high into the air at the push of the propellers, just as more pegasi began to swarm the balloon. At the call for alarm, they took their spears in hoof and flew in a battle formation, quickly spotting the ship from above.

“Barrier!” Tempest called, Umbra’s horn flashing with emerald light as magic began to encircle the balloon.

“I do not know how to do a barrier!” Oarkin shouted in his thick accent above the whipping winds, grabbing his head in panic. “I only know telekinesis!”

The helmed commander shot her eyes to Umbra, who grimaced as twelve spears darted at random into her magical shield. She fought against the intrusion, but the strain quickly showed as her stance widened.

“Oarkin! Knock them out!”

That, he could do. And without spilling blood, with the small purple horse’s magic! Oarkin billowed his massive wings, taking off like lightning over the massive balloon, turning to fly in line with the ship. Immediately, his gray swirling hands shot forward - grabbing several pegasi in his magic, and dragging them close.

“You have picked wrong side. I am sorry,” he said, before crashing his fist into the lined up skulls - turning several new spirits to the wind.

The last five, seeing their allies turn to ghosts before them - regrouped for a spear wall. Something Oarkin laughed about.

“You are very brave to face me! I have killed many men. But come! Fair fight or not, I love a challenge.”

And with that, the last group of stallion soldiers charged in unison; their wings billowing to keep up with the ship and Seraph both.

Just before impact, the back of his hand flashed with such speed that all five poles shattered into wooden splinters - before that same hand rushed forward to crush the throat of an intruding pegasus. His necklace flashed, and the guard turned into a ghost right before his eyes - before fluttering away uselessly in the wind.

The four unarmed pegasi crashed their hooves into Umbra’s magic - before kicking off with a buck of their legs, darting for the safety of the open skies. Within seconds, they were out of range of the mountain’s magic - which was fine. He wanted more ‘friends’ for the fight!

As Oarkin landed, Umbra shuddered and eased her magic’s protection, stumbling to the edge as they raised above the flattened land of Canterlot’s valley. Her eyes widened in shock; much like the Seraph War, thousands of tents lined the now thoroughly trampled valley - nearly every single Equestrian soldier -- possibly more than several thousand -- had marched on Canterlot to defend their ‘queen’.

“Tempest? We may have an issue regarding this strategy.”

“There’s an issue with EVERY strategy! Both of you - get up here, and ready your magic. On my call, snap the strings and get ready to fly.”

Just as Umbra and Oarkin both followed her commands - a single set of dark, ebony hooves touched down in front of the wheel. Nightmare Moon gave a mirthless smile before them, as the airship began to barrel towards the castle unimpeded.

“My my! What do we have here - a once great Queen reduced to a mere shadow of her former self, a disgraced commander with no army, and… you are?”

Despite the overwhelming aura of pure and unadulterated terror radiating off of her in waves, the three hardly wavered before her might. Nightmare Moon’s eyes settled on Oarkin’s, the much too tall mountain of a man giving a laugh.

“I am a man of many names! A mountain, a pillar! The block which crushes puny Seraph, the hammer that forms the steel! But you, evil horse, can call me a hero. For I am going to break you. Like a chocolate Kot Kit wafer from Altai Krom.”

Nightmare Moon was immune to all forms of intimidation; simply put, the nightmare would not falter to idle threats. But, her lesser half, still clinging on to light despite the clear fact she lost - recoiled in fear of the giant man. A simple memory came to mind; one of Luna struggling for breath beneath the large Leotoln… hm. No matter.

In this single moment of hesitation, Tempest knew she had to act, and fast. Not only would this moment end in seconds, but the Castle was approaching - and if she missed this chance, they wouldn’t have another. With expert speed, she shot her hooves in a swift motion - tugging the Doors lever down to the second click, before ripping the choke and gear levers down as well.

Instantly, a dozen chings rang out across the hull, as the heavy iron engine room plummeted like a rock to the Castle’s drawn gates. The ship immediately began to lose its forward momentum - shooting straight up from the lack of weight keeping it steady. The entire deck violently rocked and seized, Oarkin, Umba, and Tempest lurching to the wheel to keep steady. The Nightmare was caught by surprise, and lost her footing - just as Oarkin’s leg came up in a swift kick to punt her off the ship. The whipping winds sucked the black alicorn under the exposed hull, as her wings fought for balance.

“NOW!” Tempest called, as Umbra’s horn and Oarkin’s hand shot forward - smashing, slashing, and severing the rough ties they pinned to the wooden hull, before the giant seized them both in a gentle hug and spread his wings.

A world shaking BOOM caught them in the blastwave, as the magic charged engine below erupted in a deadly explosive; fueled by helium and alchemist’s fire. The hull of the ship crashed down into the reeling Nightmare Moon - pinning her beneath as it fell from the sky like a rock. Before her horn could flash and teleport her away - the roof of the castle met her blackened armor, her spire flaring in a barrier at the last moment to prevent certain death.

The drawbridge and gate was destroyed, the oaken doors the last barricade left for the castle as Oarkin quickly tilted forward - bringing his friends into the fortress’s interior with a flurry of his wings.