Eclipsed Truth

Title: Eclipsed Truth
Chapter 2: Cries from the Abyss

The Deepest Pit of Tartarus

The air was thick with the stench of sulfur and decay, the oppressive darkness of Tartarus pressing down like an unrelenting weight. Deep in its forgotten abyss, far below even the cells of the worst monsters Equestria had ever known, heavy chains rattled as a lone figure struggled against them.

Eclipse.

Her once-proud coat, black as the void, now clung to her gaunt frame, stretched over protruding bones. Her ethereal mane, once flowing like her mother’s, had become brittle and weak. The magic within her had been drained, siphoned away by the cursed chains wrapped around her limbs, neck, and wings.

But even after a thousand years of suffering, she still fought.

“RAAAAAAHHHHH!!”

A blast of midnight magic erupted from her weakened horn, shaking the cavernous pit, sending cracks through the cold stone beneath her hooves. She ignored the searing pain in her body as she flared her wings against their restraints, her glowing turquoise eyes burning with desperation.

Somewhere, up above, her mother was alive. She had to be.

She slammed her hooves against the ground, her breath ragged, her voice hoarse but still filled with raw emotion.

“MOTHER! I’M HERE!” Her voice echoed through the empty void. “PLEASE! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME… I’M HERE!!”

A surge of power erupted from within her, defying her weakened state. She poured every last ounce of magic she had left into a final, desperate beam of light, sending it skyward. The energy illuminated the depths of Tartarus for the first time in centuries, its glow reaching out toward the unseen world above.

She was so close.

And yet, so far.

Her strength gave out. The chains yanked her back down, slamming her into the ground as her vision blurred. Darkness crept at the edges of her mind, her breath shallow.

Her prison had stolen everything from her—her magic, her strength, even the very will to hope.

And yet… she still fought.

She still believed.

The dim sound of hoofsteps echoed through the cavern, and a shadowed figure emerged—a pony clad in tattered, ancient robes, their face hidden beneath a hood.

A basket landed roughly beside her, its contents spilling slightly. Moldy, rock-hard bread. The same thing she had been given for centuries.

The pony sneered. “Here’s more bread for you, freak.” His voice dripped with disgust. “Be grateful I even give you anything at all.”

Eclipse said nothing. She was too exhausted.

The pony chuckled, cruel and mocking. “Still fighting, huh? How’s the stone wall taste? Must be nice, being able to suck moisture out of the cracks to keep yourself from dying too quickly.” He leaned in closer, his voice venomous. “But don’t get your hopes up. Nopony’s coming to save you. You’re a stain on Equestria. A creature that should never have been born.”

Eclipse barely lifted her head, her once-fiery eyes dulled by centuries of suffering.

“To kill you,” the robed pony continued, “would be a mercy.” He laughed. “But that would be too quick. Too kind. And a thing like you doesn’t deserve kindness.”

With that, he turned and trotted away, leaving Eclipse alone in the suffocating dark once more.

She closed her eyes, her breath shaky.

And yet…

In her heart, she still clung to the faintest flicker of hope.

The Gates of Tartarus – The Rescue Party

Luna’s hooves dug into the rocky terrain as she stood before the massive, enchanted gates sealing Tartarus. The stars above offered little comfort, their cold light illuminating her trembling frame. Her mind raced with horrible images of what Eclipse had suffered for the past thousand years.

How had she survived?

How had she endured?

Was she even… still alive?

Celestia stood beside her, her expression a carefully composed mask, but Luna knew her sister well enough to see the sadness and guilt in her eyes. A thousand years ago, Celestia had thought she was doing what was necessary. But now? Now they both knew there had been far more at play than either of them had realized.

Behind them, Twilight and her friends stood in tense silence. Even Discord had materialized, standing closer to Fluttershy than usual, his normally playful demeanor absent.

“This… is worse than I thought,” Twilight admitted. “If Eclipse really was thrown into Tartarus as a newborn, that means she grew up here. She’s been alone for a millennium.”

Fluttershy shivered, her wings pressing against her sides. “Oh my goodness… the poor thing.”

Starlight, who had been briefed only moments ago, looked pale. “This is… monstrous. What kind of ponies could do this to a child?”

“They ain’t ponies,” Applejack muttered darkly. “Not in any way that matters.”

Luna took a deep, shuddering breath. “We must find her. I will not leave her in that place a moment longer.”

Celestia draped a wing over her sister. “We will find her, Luna. I promise you.”

Luna nodded, but her heart clenched with worry. What would she find when they reached Eclipse? A strong mare who had survived against all odds? Or a broken soul, crushed by a thousand years of torment?

And worse… would Eclipse even recognize her?

Would she hate her?

Celestia lifted her horn, her golden magic weaving through the enchanted locks of Tartarus’ gate. Slowly, the massive doors groaned, the spell unraveling as the pathway to the underworld opened before them.

And then—

A shockwave of dark magic erupted from the depths, shaking the entire entrance of Tartarus. The ground trembled, pebbles skittering down the craggy cliffs.

And then, echoing from the abyss—

“MOTHER! I’M HERE! PLEASE, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME… I’M HERE!!”

Luna’s breath hitched.

That voice.

It was weak. Hoarse. But still filled with raw emotion.

Celestia’s eyes widened. “That must be—”

Another explosion of magic sent a beam of pure lunar energy hurtling upward, so powerful that it split through the darkness like a signal flare.

Luna’s chest tightened.

She was real.

She was alive.

And she was calling for her.

But even as the light of the spell flickered and died, the emotions carried in that voice left Luna shaken to her core.

Eclipse’s voice had not just been desperate.

It had been heartbroken.

The gates of Tartarus fully opened, and Luna surged forward, her eyes burning with newfound determination.

“Hold on, my daughter,” she whispered, her voice fierce with resolve. “We’re coming.”

To Be Continued…