Verve

The white Alicorn crashed roughly into the floor, grunting as Arin’s magic flashed over her in a quick, ranged Antithesis. Immediately, the six elements rushed to her aid - her horn still radiating energy as she held off Nightmare Moon for another spirit-crushing blast of lunar might.

“Princess!” Twilight cried, dozens of reserve deer taking aim at the barricade above them; no less than a hundred now lined the corners of the room, ready to protect the party in a moment’s notice. Oarkin kept his gaze locked to the door, just in case the worst happened and the soldiers outside could break through the White Tail Line.

“I’m alright, Twilight - but I believe now it’s your time to… what happened to your wings?”

The purple Alicorn sighed, clasping a hoof over her eyes in shame. “Nightmare Moon convinced me to pluck them clean by my own muzzle. I don’t know how long it’ll take to grow back, and it’s too late now.”

“Hmhm! A bad case of feather abuse will do that to you! You should stop by my shop sometime for a bottle of Feather-Free Flight Fixer! Don’t worry, beautiful Purple-fry, I got rid of the infinitely growing feather side effect forever ago from the brew, when I found it was permanent! D’ohoho~ Let me check my bag later, I might have a spare bottle!”

Celestia glared up at Vee, before rolling her eyes to gently hug her former Student’s side. “It’s okay. You don’t - hrg…” She faltered, horn flickering as Nightmare Moon crashed into the barrier with Nocturne, the powerful Lunar magic cracking the shield. The morning mare was quick to repair the damage, before turning back to Twilight. “You don’t need wings, you have your friends by your side. You know exactly what to do-”

“Tia! Nightmare Moon! She’s moved to the entry hall!” Arin called, pointing to the giant hole above. The distracted Princess didn’t even notice as her corrupt Sister came to her senses, and gave up the charade. She must have taken notice of the Elements gathered by her side.

Oarkin hesitated at hearing those words. He was ordered to stay here and guard the door, yes - and he failed last time, but… Last time, he fought her alone. This time would be different. He would have the backing of several hundred deer, ready to challenge her.

Before Tempest could order that he abandon the idea, he burst through the doors once again, and into the entry hall to challenge fate. He wouldn’t lose hope; this time, with an army at his side, he knew he could not lose.

Nightmare Moon snarled in frustration when her Sister hugged tightly over her now disloyal subjects. If that crying piece within her had relented, this little hole in her leadership wouldn’t have existed to begin with. But she stayed her blade, and Luna’s pleading voice.

She could not afford them the chance to regroup. Where were her soldiers?! They should have taken the castle back by now! Surely Flash Sentry wasn’t that daft to fail her in such spectacular fashion?! With his mind intact, no less!

Her wings flashed - barreling over the front gates to inspect the entry hall; the immense damage from trebuchets had left peeling stone crumbling around the shattered-ice moat, but otherwise - she could only see no less than a few dozen… four legged defenders. Deer? When did the deer -...

That city. In White Tail Wood. Her Sister found the old deer fortress, hidden by magic of some means. She would take it from them, after her victory here was assured. She flew above the surging crowd of Equestria’s bravest, entering the Entry Hall with a sneer. Both blades cleaving through the air in tow.

Her ponies, seeing her take the lead - slowed to await her command. But when she stopped just past the front gate, hesitation caused a few of the less brave brainwashed stallions and mares to slow, causing a jam of bodies unable to decide what to do - some spilling for and tumbling into the ground, causing more problems as ponies came to aid them in the crush.

Nightmare Moon looked on in absolute shock around the room. It’s like she entered a hunter’s lodge, hundreds of bucks and does resting from the walls by ivy vine enchantments - bows by the hundred aimed at her billowing black bat wings and armored body.

“Surrender, Nightmare Moon! And you will live to see another twilight’s eve!” a giant gold flecked buck called, resting a massive bow by the bottom anchor in the floor. A single, giant spear of an arrow was aimed for her chest - a deadly bolt that could shatter her body to splintered pieces.

Her other half reeled in terror at the prospect of turning into a pincushioned corpse, causing her to hesitate in the air.

BOOM!

The Throne Room doors threw open with such intensity that she was left in fear; her mind running with thoughts of Leotoln as the massive mountain stood alive before her. He said nothing. He held no hesitation. Instantly, his hands shot forward - grasping her entire form in silvery magic - smashing the Nightmare’s ebony form with such strength that her own power was nearly strangled out of her.

“NOW!” he roared - and all bucks present released their volley into the singular point in space; hundreds of bows twanging, Daggerspells bolting arcane waves in an attempt to cast Silence over her magic - Darkrunners fending off recuperating soldiers from breaking their line desperately.

Even with the front line’s ability to quell the numbers, they were out of their element - with no trees or brush to bolt into, wounds began to stack without backup. Dozens soon began to fall, much to the panicked bleats of their kin. Vine hooks darted forward to latch at their armor, tugging the downed bucks out of the way.

The final arrow launched from King Aster’s massive greatbow, the weapon meant to pierce the steely hide of flame wielding dragons - and crashed into Nightmare Moon’s magic faltering armored chest. Her weapons spun in the air, as the strike range true. The Nightmare cried out, the sheer power of the singular arrow sending her flying out the front gate - rolling and crashing into her far army behind. Mares, stallions, siege engineers - it did not matter. Any that attempted to catch the porcupined ‘princess’ were roughly stabbed by hundreds of blood stained arrows - as she came to a fatal halt on the floor.

There was a quiet on the battlefield on all sides, as all eyes left in this cold, bitter world fell upon Nightmare Moon.

No celebration was given just yet. King Aster seized this lull - and jumped the railing, to come to the aid of his dying bucks. Calling his Confessors, his antlers flashed in Mending Wave - bringing the near dead back to their cloven hooves in seconds; he felt an immense drain on his ember from the act alone, as his Feylight energy had long faded. He found one of several dead bucks, and closed his eyes. A radiant, ethereal book glowing before him as he channeled magic into the first page of Resurrection.

Just as he brought one of the dozens dead back to life, a cackling laugh broke the looming silence. Aster’s gaze slowly turned to the shifting mass of shadows beyond the tides of still ponies, ripping herself from the pool of blood she made. Her armor spent, rent, crushed, punctured, and fractured - her horn spiraled in demented moonlight.

“Fine then! If you wish for me to embrace the stars - then so be it! You will all embrace the moon in kind. For eternity.” Her bat wings spread to engulf the air - flying high into the sky to hover far above the castle she once called home. She gave one last look to the dying sun - laughing in absolute bliss.

She would not lose now. She wouldn’t perish under their assault. She had learned her lesson. If tact would give her no results - then the scorched earth will. Her horn swirled with Lunar energy - the moon painted red as she ripped it from its place in the stars. Her ember flashing in daunting power within her chest, as the intensity of the act echoed across the sky in deadly, magical waves.

What was once an hour of distant sunlight now became minutes, as the moon fell ever closer to Equis. The earth below began to rattle and shake, the Nightmare’s eyes settling on the glowing red orb approaching the land with haste.

The dreaming ponies stopped to gaze at the red orb in wonder; petrified as the swirling magics echoed in their mind. The deer watched on in terror, as dark, whirling power began to shatter windows in a billowing intensity. From the roots of the gardens, sprang black vines - that latched on to whatever they deemed fit. Pulling. Tugging. The ethereal creature they belonged to shuttering - flashing in and out of reality far, far below.

“TWILIGHT AND FRIENDS! MOVE!” Tempest screamed, as the ponies began to gallop past the stunned armies. The earth rattling beneath their hooves in each desperate bound. All at once, the dream realm shuttered and fell - as even its magic was encompassed by the seeping darkness, reality crying out as the thinning veil of life whimpered at the moon’s majesty.

Celestia, Arin, Pumpkin, Vee, Tempest, and Umbra - in a frenzy of wings, hooves, magic, and a broom - rushed to join them, as the Equestrian soldiers began to snap awake one by one. Seeing the massive ball of death rocketing towards them, they attempted to gallop and scream for the hills; the ponies scattering in seconds through sheer terror.

Now, all hope lay on the shoulders of six ponies, that stopped far below the moon-drunk monster billowing her bloody laughter in the sky.

In a shimmering haze, they joined together - calling upon the magics of the world. But none came. Why? WHY?

“What’s wrong?!” Celestia called, landing roughly to the floor in a pump of her wings.

“I-I don’t - I don’t know! The magic isn’t there! A-And without wings, there’s no way Harmony can reach her this high!”

“It is not there because it does not exist!” Umbra’s shadowy stampede came to an end, her eyes glaring up at the creature tartarus bent on destroying the world. “The planes have fallen! There is no balance left in the world - no harmony! LOOK!”

Her hoof fell to the distant horizon, as only a sliver of the sun was left among the bountiful, swirling stars.

At this point, Falon and Aster joined them, the shaking stones far below nearly throwing the grounded party off balance.

“Celestia!” Aster called, nearly crashing into her side. “The Elements!”

“The magic is gone, Aster! There is no Fey - and in seconds, there won’t be a sun! The balance is no more!”

The King began to panic, as Seabreeze clung on to his antlers for dear life.

“I cannae believe ya dragged me outta me hollow for this nonsense ya bloody doughtnut!” He cried, facing the moon tumbling towards them.

“Celestia, Aster - you two are bastions of your realms! You both can grant the Elements the balance needed to call Harmony once more!” Umbra declared, stomping her hoof. The two shared a look of pure desperation - nodding to each other.

“I never thought I’d die side by side with a pony,” Aster whispered softly, his magic welling within his ember in green light.

“How about side by side with a friend?” the Princess said quietly in reply, as she summoned the last of the sun within her chest.

“Aye. I can do that.”

Their magic beamed in reply, before showering Twilight and her anxiety riddled friends in glimmering gold and green. As a result, Aster’s white coat shimmered and faded to a soft brown, and Celestia’s brilliant red mane was reduced once more to a soft pink. Immediately, they attempted to channel Harmony once more, but…

“It’s… it’s not enough!” Twilight cried, tears welling in her eyes. She really was a failure, at the worst of times, too. And now, she would pay for it, in the loss of the lands she loved.

“No.” Arin frowned, shaking his head. He pointed to the scattering army that ran for Canterlot City’s protective walls. Among them, the forms of flashing spirits settled back into reality; unharmed, just as Vee promised. “The dream realm is no more. The ponies are waking. Solar, Lunar, Fey, Shadow, Chaos… but you lack dreams. The astral connection. Soul. Tia, you told me about the planes of magic, back during our time on the moon. And there is one more we’ve been neglecting… that I have been neglecting. That I once claimed unimportant, three years ago. Luna’s plane; not the moon… but one of dreams.”

“I…” Celestia faltered, raising a hoof to counter his argument - Arin wasn’t a mage, he… She thought he didn’t know that much about magic. But he’s grown so much. He’s changed in so many ways. And of all the experts gathered here, he was the only one who remembered the smallest detail, from a mare he once loved.

“Arin is right. We need Luna right now, to cast Harmony. Unless?...” Celestia’s eyes shifted to Vee, who shook her head.

“Nuh uh, Sun-fry - nice mane, by the way - but I’ve snooted out the last bits of my magic myself. Also, I’m an expert on dreams ‘cause my soul is partly ripped from my body - so I dream walk easily. Bad feathers with ol’ Scary-horn, and all that jazz. I’m all moon power otherwise.”

“Then we need Luna. And there’s only two among us that can reach out to her, deep inside Nightmare Moon - Celestia, and Arin. If there’s a way either of you can convince her to give up this insanity, it would be through both of you. You two are our only hope. Go!” Tempest called, pointing to the crazed alicorn above.

Celestia, magic spent and exhausted - gave one last request. “Arin, I used all of my magic on this. I can’t fly. You’ll have to carry me.”

The Seraph gulped; it was a long way up to Nightmare Moon. Seraphs were slow climbers, he could never make it. Aster, in his exhaustion, saw this hesitation - and gave one last bit of advice.

“Use your magic to seize her spirit, and pull yourself, Arin. There’s still a soul in her, I can feel it - fighting for life. Go.”

“And remember to bring the light within you!” Falon called after them both. “And good luck, my son,” he said quietly, much to the confused noises of the mane six - save Rainbow Dash, who was already aware of this odd… predicament.

In a flash of his brilliant wings, Arin darted high into the sky at the pump of his pinions, reaching a magic gleaming hand to grasp over the weak soul within the Nightmare.