Dark Libra

Everything Twilight thought she knew was wrong. Cassius was the ultimate threat to Equestria, Rarity was a traitor, Rainbow Dash was missing, and for all she knew, two of her friends were dead. She was in the library and for once books wouldn't be able to help her now. All of her memories of the past few years were flashing by as she lamented in self pity. Her friends needed her help and she was unable to give them any. The only one left was Applejack and she was with Princess Luna trying to help with anything she could. Spike was with the other dragons that were training to fight. He only wanted to be able protect Twilight and he felt that this was the only way. Every one left was doing something productive to help and she was just sitting in the library thinking about all of the things that went wrong.

Nothing had gone right, If only she left Cassius in the Everfree, stopped the awakening, or even turned him into Celestia, none of this would have happened. Twilight knew what had to be done and she felt a burning desire to correct her mistake. If fixing the balance was to be done by removing the greatest sources of harmony then she and Applejack would join Cassius. If she was right then he would no longer need to fight Celestia. If she was wrong then Celestia was doomed. It was a 50/50 chance that it would work and she was willing to take the risk.

Twilight would ask Cassius about it in her dreams because she was going to use a beacon spell in the dream realm. With a little hope Cassius or even Princess Luna would come to her and she could ask her opinion on the matter. She laid in her bed and turned out the lights.
She looked over her bed and out into the night sky. The moon was shining bright but a faint glow of blue sat around it. Twilight took in a breath and began to cast the sleep spell on herself. With a flash of mind numbing light and Twilight found herself drifting in darkness as the spell took effect on her. Eventually she landed back in her library unsure if the spell took or if it fizzled.
She didn't remember getting out of her bed so she was sure it worked. A quick look out the window and the sight of black void confirmed her suspicion of success. She was in the dream realm, that much was certain. She charged the beacon spell and fired it inside the center of large tree that she called home. It pulsated a golden yellow as it hovered in the center of the upstairs living quarters. It gave off a warm feeling that strangely felt like it was there to guide her.

"Faithful. You really want to push me don't you?" Cassius called from every direction.

"Show yourself Cassius!" Twilight yelled.

"Why do you call me? Normally I'd come to the pony and show them what true suffering is.
You are stubborn, do you know that?" Cassius taunted.

Cassius melded from a bookcase that sat in front of Twilight, covered in ink like shadows.

"Cassius, I have a question and I want the truth." Twilight said staring down the Nightmare Spawn.

"I can't promise anything." replied the nightmare spawn.

"If you had all of the Elements of Harmony, would that fix the balance?" She asked.

Cassius looked past Twilight in deep thought. He remained like this for what felt like hours to the unicorn.

"No, It would not. If anything it would over power Chaos and My sister would try to kill... Luna." Cassius said.

"What? Why?" Twilight said.

"Celestia planned to put Luna in a life and death situation so I would try to save her and die in the process. She was going to kill her if I failed to save her in time. Luna found out and his heading to my castle now with Noble. Faithful, You can't stop what is coming. I told you before, if you failed all of Equestria would suffer by Nightshade's hooves. I am Cassius Nightshade, Guardian of the balance and personal protector of Princess Luna." Cassius said.

Twilight sat down letting Cassius's words sink in. The feeling of loss hit her along with betrayal. How could Applejack just do this to everypony? Especially to her family and friends.
Twilight looked up to meet Cassius's gaze before standing up.

"Faithful, I will be attacking in two days. I will be moving my forces tomorrow. If Celestia isn't ready in that time, Canterlot...will...burn." he continued.

He walked past her and to the door of the library, but spoke without looking back, "Good bye, Twilight Sparkle enjoy what little time you have left with your princess of the sun."

Cassius left her dream without another word with a slamming of her door. Twilight was dumbfounded and just sat on the floor. She looked up to the beacon to see it had changed from a yellow light to a dark blue instead. The warm feeling it gave off earlier was now gone and a cold empty feeling took its place. She got up and took a closer look into it and found the orb grow reveal itself as a crystal ball. She saw herself standing in a dark battlefield with dead ponies and fire everywhere around her. She was using the spell that gave her the golden armor and swords of light in the middle of the fighting. She saw herself holding off five other ponies surrounded in black mist. Twilight had taken several hits and was bleeding heavily from cuts and stabs. An arrow sat inside her thigh and she held herself up on one of her swords, gasping for air pointing at the other the five attackers. One of the two pegasi stepped behind her with a trident and slammed it into her back cracking the armor and puncturing one her lungs, causing her to dispel the swords. After the trident was removed an earth pony with a single blade cut off part of her right ear and some of her mane with a single swipe. They then placed a hoof over the arrow and twisted it around before pushing it all the way through her thigh, then walk away. A unicorn ran at her and stabbed Twilight in both shoulders with dual swords. They twisted them to the sides to cause as much damage and pain as possible before removing them and following its counterpart. Another pegasus with a crossbow shot her in the chest missing her heart by an inch. It reloaded the weapon and hovered in place as it watched the others stand around Twilight. Twilight spat up blood and nearly fell over from the unbearable pain. She hadn't made a sound, save for a few grunts from the impacts. The last earth pony walked up to her with a lasso that had been tied around her neck like a hangman's noose. It handed the rope to the two pegasi and pointed up with a hoof. They flew up slowly and lifted Twilight up off of the ground. As she struggled to get free she saw a war being fought by all kinds of creatures. Dragons on dragons, Changelings fighting griffin and pegasi, unicorns attacking and killing the hydra and other animals that fought for Cassius. Spike lay next to a few dead guards as he hid from some changelings that charged the ones that still lived. In the distance Discord was fighting Luna in her Nightmare Moon form. The spirits of Chaos was trying to get to Celestia who was laying on her side with Cassius standing over her. The shadows around him twitched with excitement and a psychotic grin filled his muzzle. His horn was glowing a dark blue. Then there was a sudden blast of light that temporarily blinded everything. There was a sudden jerk of the rope that Twilight was being held up with, a snapping sound filled the air and her struggling ceased. Without warning the crystal ball detonated and the vision was lost, leaving Twilight in dark.

Cassius's voice broke the silence, "Faithful? Where is your friendship now?"

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Queen Chrysalis was getting everyone ready to move out as the moon was being risen by Princess Luna. She had arrived only an hour ago and said Cassius asked her to come.
A loud rumble was heard and the barrier around the tower that Cassius was resting in fell. Cassius himself stood on a balcony as the shadows receded to their master.

"We move tonight under the full moon! Celestia will have one day to give herself up or we prepare for war! Formations Now!" Cassius boomed to his armies.

A sudden scramble erupted amongst the creatures on the ground and Rainbow Dash was almost trampled by a minotaur. Soon after she found herself being lifted by a magical blue aura. It carried her to Cassius who stood on his perch. Where faces were only inches from each other when Cassius cracked his smile.

"Are you sure you are ready for this? You will get some of my power, but you will change."
He said.

Rainbow Dash gulped and slowly nodded her head. Just then she felt a cold sensation run up her hind legs at a slow pace. She looked down to see the shadows covering her like a plague to a dying village. As it rose up she felt a hollow anger at something. That something was herself. She was giving up on everything she believed in and was becoming something she hated.
She began to fight the conversion and Cassius only smiled harder.
As the shadows covered her ribs and wings she lost all feeling in them. The more it spread the weaker she felt. Finally after a grueling few minutes of her will clashing with his, Rainbow Dash was covered from head to hoof in shadow. She felt them penetrate her entire being, her very soul. The pain, the loneliness, the sorrow, betrayal, and power. So much power filled her along with the feelings. These feelings must have been the ones Cassius had all of these years.
She felt the shadows wanting to bend to her will as though they were alive. Cassius released her and let her hover in place. Rainbow Dash stuck a hoof out and willed the shadows to go and they did. Cassius nodded in approval and satisfaction.

"So Warrior Dash, How do you feel?" Cassius asked.

Rainbow lifted an eyebrow at him and said, "Warrior Dash, master?"

"That seems to be a good name for the fastest and best pegasus fighter in all of New Equestria, don't you think?" Cassius replied as he stepped off of the balcony and flew down to lead his forces.

Rainbow Dash thought about it and felt he was right, at least right to hide her true name.
Even though she felt his power, Rainbow didn't feel his influence like the others. She was still loyal to her friends. Cassius was one of them, but Twilight and the others came first.
She followed after him and watched from afar as he rounded up his troops. They set up wagons for what appeared to be camping supplies and other survival equipment. Within an hour everything was ready and Cassius gave the order to march. The war was officially on the second Cassius stepped through the main gate of the changeling kingdom.

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Celestia was in her throne room in deep thought. Luna had taken Applejack and left for the Changeling Kingdom earlier that morning. They had a plan in place, but with such an unexpected turn of events, she was sure to have to have to fight Cassius soon. Luna must have found him and was going to take him on alone, If not then. No, after all that had happened in the last few years Celestia's little sister wouldn't just betray her like this. Cassius must have tricked her in the dream realm or even taken over her mind. Celestia never felt such rage that was focused on one single pony before. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Her anger was a deadly weapon indeed, but it needed to be guided at the right target and used at the right time.
Sereen walked in at a fast trot towards Celestia. The sun goddess looked over to her and got off of the throne to meet her halfway.

"Is everything alright Sereen? You look worried." Celestia asked.

Sereen had a grim look in her eyes, "Cassius is on the move. He is leading his army and will be arriving soon."

Celestia shared her look and asked, "How long do we have?"

Twilight entered the chamber and said, "Two days. He will be here by tonight, but wait one day for us to prepare."

Both Celestia and Sereen looked to the lavender mare. Twilight walked over to them and bowed.

"Twilight how do you know this?" Celestia asked.

"I spoke to him last night princess. I was going to... ask him where my friends were." lied Twilight.

Sereen took a step closer and said, "You are a bad liar Twilight Sparkle. Why did you seek Cassius?"

"Why would I seek your brother?" Twilight said quickly.

Sereen narrowed her eyes and replied, "He killed you once, because you are a powerful and a great source of harmony. He calls you Faithful,l because you are one of the purest forms of harmony too. He can't corrupt you so he killed you and would rather avoid you now, than try to find you. Now why did you summon him?"

Twilight found the line of facts was overwhelming and with the cold glare Sereen was giving her to be frightening. It felt like Sereen was looking into her very soul trying to find the truth. Her eyes scanned Twilight's every movement for the slightest twitch or shiver. For a few moments Twilight held her breath before trying to slowly draw one in as not to alert her. Celestia only watched Sereen gaze into Twilight's eyes for a few moments more.

"Sereen, that is enough. I know she is hiding something." Celestia finally said.

Sereen looked away from Twilight and backed up. Twilight let loose the air in her lungs and relaxed a little. She felt like Fluttershy had just stared her down.

"I am sorry Twilight. I didn't mean to do that to you." Sereen apologized.

"It's ok. You are doing your job to protect the princess." Twilight said nervously.

"Twilight, what were you really doing?" the princess asked.

"I...Uh...I was going to ask if Applejack and I joining him would fix the balance enough to stop the war. I was ready to give myself up to him in order to save you princess." Twilight stammered.

"Oh Twilight." Celestia said as she walked over to her student. "You had your heart in the right place, but we need you here. You see... Luna and Applejack had left to find Cassius already."

"I know." Twilight mumbled.

Celestia looked to Twilight and raised her head with a hoof before asking, "How do you know that? We haven't told anypony yet."

Twilight felt tears roll down her muzzle and she began to sob into Celestia's white coat.
This shocked Sereen and stunned Celestia. After a moment Twilight began to tell them of her vision in the dream realm.

"This sounds like Queen Rosetta was showing Cassius and Twilight a fragment of the future. Princess, this sounds like the plan will fail." Sereen said.

"No, it sounds like the signal wasn't given yet. Listen to me Twilight. No matter what happens in the next few days, I want you to promise me that you will live on after this. You will live like you would have if none of this ever happened." Celestia said.

Twilight looked up and mumbled, "Princess?"

"Promise me Twilight." Celestia spoke in almost a whispered voice.

"I... I promise." whispered the lavender unicorn.

"Thank you Twilight. Now I want you to go with Sereen and get every able and willing pony to prepare for battle. I will send some ponies that I know you will be able to work with shortly." Celestia said as she looked to Sereen.

The white and golden Alicorn walked to the two and looked down at Twilight who followed her out of the room. War was going to be here in two days and they were not going to give up without a fight.

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Hours had passed and the moon was out. Along the way Luna had to stop to perform her duties as princess of the night. Even with Cassius she had her responsibilities to Equestria. From the looks of it they were no more than a few minutes away from the Ponyville. This was to be the sight of their first camp and center for what was going to be a battle. Cassius was going to go straight for Celestia on the day of the fight and he was jittery from excitement. The war machines that the hydra pulled were going to be a distraction while Cassius's bearers of Elements of Chaos went in to find Twilight and Sereen. Their job was to keep them busy for as long as possible. Luna was to hold back Discord, and Chrysalis was to rally the troops and make it look as though Cassius was focusing on the battle. As always Cassius intended a show and he was going to give one that Equestria would never forget.

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The ponies of Ponyville were all fast asleep except for one. The librarian who was buried in her books as usual. Twilight was looking for something, anything that could be used to help her fight Cassius. She had gone through at least one fourth of the books in her house before she felt the ground tremble. It was faint but it was there. It felt like a massive heart was beating in the earth itself. Twilight looked out her window and saw a faint glow of light in the distance. before she knew it she saw hydra pulling massive catapults and creatures of all types marching. In the air Twilight saw Cassius hovering above them with Luna and the two pegasi from her vision. Twilight panicked and woke up spike.

"Spike I need you to take a letter of emergency!" She exclaimed in panic.

The baby dragon rolled out of his bed in a cocoon of blankets with a grunt.

"What is going on Twilight? It's still dark out." Spike said with a yawn.

"Spike, Cassius is here with his army! we need to send Princess Celestia a letter asking her to send troops to defend Ponyville!" Twilight said as she floated a quill and paper to him.

Spike quickly wrote down what Twilight had told him. With his magical fire he sent the paper away. Not even ten seconds later Spike belched up the reply.

He began the read the scrolls contents.

" To my Faithful Student Twilight Sparkle,

I am sorry, but even if I were to send any troops it will be too late. I need you to send a flare spell and start an evacuation. I will send Sereen and Discord to provide a protective field to give you time. You brother will also arrive via teleportation and create a portal that will send everypony to the safety of the castle. I wish you the best of luck and await you here at Canterlot.

Princess Celestia of Equestria."

After Spike finished the scroll there was a flash of light outside and a knock on her door.
Twilight ran down to front door of the library and opened it without hesitation. Discord stood in the frame with Shining Armor next to him.

"Twily send the flare, Discord will get everypony up and outside for evacuation. Get anything that is important and hurry outside." Shining Armor said as his horn began to glow.

"Only take what is absolutely necessary then give me a hoof with walking to town." Discord said before flying off to begin the evacuation.

Shining Armor gave her a hug and ran to the town hall leaving his sister to set off the flare.

****************************************************

Two changelings flew up to Cassius and the others.

One began, "Master, a white and gold Alicorn, white unicorn stallion and the spirit of chaos just entered the town."

In the distance Cassius saw a blood red flare just like the one back at the Crystal Empire.
A barrier soon formed around Ponyville. It shimmered a faint gold aura of his sisters magic.
He knew that they were trying to do and Cassius was not going to let her get away this time.

"Set the camps up right on the edge of the barrier and wait there for my return." He ordered before rocketing to the massive shield.

He stopped only a few feet from it and peered inside. He saw ponies running around pulling carts and families into town hall. Even from outside the barrier he could feel the presence of a portal spell, an evacuation was underway.

"Do you really think that you can run from me!?" Cassius's voice boomed.

The ponies inside stopped dead in their tracks from the sound of his voice. Their eyes found the shadow Alicorn hovering just outside the dome.

"Sereen, Incarnate show yourselves!" He hollered.

The ponies inside held their ears and trembled in fear from the furious anger that came from him.

Shining Armor stepped outside of the town hall and called to the ponies, "You need to move now! He can't hurt you when you are past the portal!"

The ponies ran to the hall in a mob, almost trampling the white unicorn. Shining Armor teleported to the roof to avoid the fearful ponies. His gaze fixed on Cassius who only smiled at him.

"So, I call for them and you show up. How is Cadence?" Cassius taunted.

"Why are you here?" hissed Shining Armor.

Cassius placed a hoof on the barrier and forced it to deform with a small web of shadows.

"I am here to do a few things. First, is to kill my sister and anypony who gets in my way. Second, is to take the town for my troops and wait out the day like I said we would. Finally, kill Princess Celestia. Now are you going to get in my way?" Cassius said with his psychotic grin.

Just before he could answer Twilight ran to the hall and yelled, " Shining Armor everypony has gone through!"

"Twilight you are next! Go through now!" Shining Armor called from the roof.

"You aren't coming with me?" She asked.

"Twilight go now!" yelled Shining Armor.

"I'm not leaving without you! I lost my friends to him, I won't lose my brother too!"
Twilight shouted back to him.

"Discord get her through the portal!" ordered the white unicorn.

Without a word Discord materialized behind Twilight and grabbed her. She struggled to get free from the spirit of chaos as he took her to the portal.

"I am sorry Twilight, But this is for the best." He said just before throwing her in and sending her to Canterlot.

Discord stepped out and gave Shining Armor a thumbs up. With that he let the portal die and let his magic refocus.

"Well, are you going to stand aside or will you stand in my way?" Cassius asked.

"I will not let you hurt my family again." Shining Armor growled.

"Then its in my way." Cassius said with a sinister grin.

He pushed his hoof through the barrier and it shattered like it was made of glass. Shadows took the place of golden light. Shining Armor and Discord stood in awe as the dome grew dark.
It finally claimed the entirety of what was Sereen's defensive barrier and left them sitting in pitch black darkness.

Cassius called out, "Welcome to your crystal ball!"