Equestria At War - In the Shadow of the Sun

The silence was deafening.

Minutes before there was thunder. The trumpets of terror, hellfire, and death. But now, the sound was of silence. Of course - the enemy had no more need to bomb the city, for they were at the doors to the throne room.

Eight were in the throne room at the time. Five ponies, one dragon, and two alicorns - one of them the size of the other normal ponies, and the other tall and large; yet devoid of majesty. They tried to gather - to prepare, to plan. To perhaps devise a spell, a gambit, something.

But the marching came. It came closer, steadily.

The throne room was exposed as the roof had been torn asunder, the breeze tainted with the iron-smell of blood as it circulated between the various openings made by explosions and shrapnel.

There was no doubt about it. The nightmare that plagued the ponies of Equestria was becoming reality.

Canterlot had fallen.

The last years had been terrible. Soul-shattering. The civil war that failed to end collided with a Changeling invasion - and the chaos that ensued had allowed for not only King Sombra to return and take the Crystal Empire, but it also allowed for the ambitious forces of Stalliongrad to launch their own invasion. They were stuck between the ferocious Nightmare Moon, the vengeful Queen Chrysalis, the vicious King Sombra, and the zealous Sinister Serov, with the South lost to an endless and almost aimless civil war of even more shattered factions.

By now, Canterlot had been surrounded. The first to enter the region - through the west - was Chrysalis, but Nightmare Moon had been able to get her forces through the city walls from the south first. Reports indicated Sombra's forces obtaining positions in the north, and Stalliongrad was gaining foothold in the east. Yet at this point, did it matter who the invaders were?

Princess Celestia was unable to speak. Unable to think. She sat on the throne - head hung as the other mares, and the young dragon, simply...sat in a circle, and hugged. They whispered to each other, and shed tears - of loss, but also resolve and love towards one another.

"...T-This is it, huh girls?" Applejack softly whispered.

"Applejack..." Rarity sniffled. "Don't...Say such things. We...We will reclaim everything."

"Yeah! We're gonna kick their butts again, even if from the shadows!" Rainbow Dash grinned, ruffling Rarity's perfect mane, which the unicorn didn't mind at all.

"And we'll bring back hope and kindness to Equestria." Fluttershy sniffled.

"...And help ponies find joy once more." Pinkie said, after being silent for days.

"...No matter what..." Princess Twilight Sparkle draped her wings over all of them, enveloping them in her warmth. "We will always be together. Our friendship cannot be broken. I will always be by your side. We will be together, and stand side by side. I promise."

The mares cried, sobbed, and softly laughed. They hadn't given mind to the door being knocked down. The heavy gates had been torn off their hinges, and a heavy slam came, dust blown towards all directions.

The sound of eight hooves echoed through the entrance. "Well, isn't this so adorable?" Asked the toxic voice of Queen Chrysalis, stepping over the gate she had knocked down. ""The "Elements of Harmony", cowering like little rodents."

"I had my reservations about joining you in entering the throne room..." Hissed the spiteful voice of Nightmare Moon as the alicorn stood beside the queen. "But I got what I came for. I have my eyes on my "big sister", who's sitting like a pathetic wreck...Not even possessing the guts to look me in the eyes."

"...Perhaps I too would like to bear witness the "heroes" fall from grace." Spoke the enigmatic voice of King Sombra as he manifested through the shadows, and stepped in the middle of the two villains.

The three most dangerous forces in all of Equestria now stood - facing the only heroes Equestria could ever put their faith in. Where was Discord? Where were the Elements? Where was...help?

Twilight looked up past her wings. Her eyes were full of fury. Not hatred - but fury that screamed to protect her friends. To protect those she loved. She stepped in-front of the other mares and unfurled her wings, blocking them from sight. "I want to ask all of you...Why? Why have you done this?"

"What?" Chrysalis scoffed. "Shown you how pathetic you are? Shown how utterly foolish you--"

"Shut up!" Twilight barked, shocking even Sombra as his shadows pulled him back somewhat. "I-I...I don't want to hear any more of this! I don't want to hear all this...All this garbage! I don't want to hear you make fun of my friends, or my country, or the ponies that fought you!" She sobbed. "I'm asking...Why did you do all this!? Why did you have to cause so much suffering!? Upon the entire continent - not just Equestria! Why...Why did you have to fight such a terrible war-- w...why even fight a war in the first place!? All this death, suffering...F-For what!?"

She pointed at Chrysalis. "For revenge!?"

Her hoof moved to Nightmare Moon. "Because of hurt!?"

It moved to Sombra. "Because you deem violence the best way to rule the world!?"

Her hoof planted itself back in the ground. "You...You didn't have to do this. None of you did. If the changelings wanted love, we could've found a way to compromise! We were close to resolving the conflict regarding the thestrals! And Sombra, I don't even know why you had to start this! I...I don't understand!" Twilight cried out. "Did none of you stop to think for a minute that this violence was pointless!? That it was...It was..."

The three quietly looked at her - gazes no longer displaying wanton evil, but instead complete attention to her words.

"...It was indeed pointless." Suddenly spoke Nightmare Moon.

"H-Huh?" Twilight had a ray of hope...That was snuffed out, as Nightmare Moon grinned and showed her sharp teeth.

"My..."sister", is a coward. Unable to take the decisions for the betterment of Equestria." Nightmare Moon hissed. "Lacking any potency, and of great stock in foolishness. She has reigned for so long, she'd rather save her own hide in this throne room, rather than fight in the war she had begun on her own accord. She's a tyrant to her little ponies."

Celestia shook a little...

"I tried to be like a mother to them, I'm not a tyrant..." She whispered - too quiet to be heard.

Chrysalis laughed, joining Nightmare Moon in the bullying. "And even having gotten her country into a war - four even - she was far too weak. Such a great and large country; full of resources, able bodies, and strategic value - yet such little ability to fight, to utilize assets and resist occupation. Does Equestria - assuming it's allowed to exist - deserve such a weak and powerless leader?"

Celestia shook more.

"I'm not weak...I...I have power." She whispered - a little louder, but still unheard.

Sombra laughed too, bellowing in the agony he perceived. "Truly. A being thousands of years old, and yet, unable to even rule with an iron hoof to be respected. If you're the goddess you claim to be, then I assure you, you are not worthy of being one. You're not worth anything whatsoever - especially not respect from your "subjects"."

Celestia shook violently, slamming her hoof into the throne - enough to make it crack. There was silence in the room.

"...I will have respect. I am a goddess."

Chrysalis and Sombra quietly gazed with surprised looks - but Nightmare Moon had the gall to take a step forward with a grin.

"What was that, "Sister"? Speak up. Your pathetic appearance drowns out your voice."

Celestia unfurled her wings...Their size...Strange. Too large. Larger than normal - enough to eclipse the light that came from the broken wall behind her. Twilight noticed the shadow cast, and froze in place.

Time froze for Twilight.

Literally.

She gazed at her surroundings. No embers falling from the top. Not a gust of wind making her feathers sway. It was dead silent. Only then did Twilight hear...A voice. Celestia's voice.

"Twilight. Seek shelter. Run away from me. As far as your hooves can take you. Over the seas. If you hear my voice, it means I cannot contain her. I feared this. So, so much. I'm sorry. Twilight...when...when she comes, you must resist. Do not listen to her promises. Do not listen to her lies. Please, my little Twilight...Be safe. You've done so much good. No matter the cost, resist her. I may never see you again Twilight...so...

Goodbye, my faithful student."

Twilight felt hooves wrap around her. Long hooves...But it was all a hallucination. Perhaps? She only snapped out...As time resumed.

Celestia's voice had progressively intensified...Booming more and more. The ash scattered across the throne room - coldly mixing as it sprawled over the floor.

"I tried to be like a mother to them. I am not weak. I will have respect. I am a goddess."

And yet the ashes were getting warmer.

"...P-Princess!" Twilight Sparkle called out, eyes shot wide with panic, mouth wide open in an attempt to call out. Seeing her panic - it had raised nervousness for the three villains.

And finally - the ashes would become alight with the embers that had made them.

"...I..."

"No! Celestia!"

And the embers burned - once again and forevermore.

...

"I am..."

...

...

"I am...Daybreaker."

Twilight's memory of the moment had become shattered. She saw Sombra leap at Celestia - before a flash of yellow washed over the throne room, and he had disappeared. She saw destruction, cataclysm - running away with her friends from it all...It was a haze she could piece together very slowly. She doesn't remember what happened since Celestia disappeared.

The memories would return to her eventually - but in those memories, she saw one pony. A pony who had attempted to save her from the power of the sun - the power of destruction and annihilation. He stood in-front of her, and held up his hooves to protect himself as he shielded her; Spike desperately calling out her name.

And a painful flash that blinded her for the weeks that followed - the burning pain a stark reminder for the years to come.