Nightingale

Twilight sat in her quarters, the gas lamps that usually filled the room with a serene dull glow were snuffed out and the room was dark. The room was a mess, the magical objects and books that normally sat neatly on the shelves and dresser were scattered about the room broken and torn. In fact the only thing that was more broken than the objects around the room was Twilight.

The term broken heart could be used to describe how Twilight was feeling but that could not come close to the actual suffering that Twilight was feeling. Twilight was a goddess, a being of great power, however that power can corrupt at the slightest sign of weakness and while mortals can fall to great lows during times of strife and heart break, Twilight fell further than any conscious being should. Twilight’s heart broke and instead of letting the wound heal slowly and naturally, she cauterized the wound with the fires of rage and then froze it with the cold embrace of hate.

Twilight had lost Celestia and Shining Armor; she could not find Spike or her parents, thousands of ponies had died under her watch and under the strain of loss Twilight lost her self. Both Luna and Octavian had come to her quarters to try and get through to the Lavender Mare but the door would not open for them. Twilight a magically sealed the door from the inside encasing herself in her room as if to stop the world outside and live out her immortal life in blissful ignorance. So When Twilight finally did come out of her room it was a surprise to everypony.

Octavian, Luna and Cadance had taken over the ruler ship of Defiance, and were poring over over the strategy board in the war room. The board was a complete map of Equestria showing the mountains, forests, towns and castles of Equestria; the board was dotted with tiny figures of ponies in both black and white. Most of the white figures were clustered around the Everfree forest and the black were scattered about Equestria.

“King Sombra’s forces are growing daily! We have to do something about the rift over Canterlot! It must be closed!”

“Luna, we don’t have enough ponies for an assault of that scale! Our forces would be slaughtered! We need to fortify Defiance against further attacks from Sombra and his horde!”

“Fortification does us no good if we are overwhelmed Cadance” Octavian said before turning to Luna “You are correct with your decision to attack Canterlot however Cadance is also correct with her evaluation of our limited numbers.”

“So what would you have us do?” Cadance asked annoyed “Attack? Not Attack? Whats your bright idea Octavian?”

“Dragons.”

“Dragons?”

“Dragons.”

“But how! The dragons and ponies have had rather tense relations the last few decades, how are we to persuade them to help us reconquer our own territory?”

“King Sombra is not going to be content with anything less than world domination and with Discords god like power at his command it will not be hard to conquer a divided Equis. Discords power stems from chaos, what do you think would happen to that power if the entirety of Equis united under one banner?” Octavian explained

“And who would be our envoy to the Dragons?”

“Well Twilights dragon Spike! He would make a great diplomat and as I understand hes already been sent there!”

“Spike is gone.” Said a voice behind them “He is probably dead.”

The trio turned to find Princess Twilight leaning against the door frame. Her coat was clean; her mane flowed as if in a spectral wind but her eyes… her eyes betrayed her heart, they spoke of cold of longing and of loss. Her eyes were hard and cold and held no love.

“Spike might be gone but you must keep hope Twilight!” Octavian said in a low voice “Hope is all we have.”

“I hoped for Celestia to live, she’s dead.” Twilight started “I hoped for my brother to return safely from the Crystal Empire, he’s dead.” Twilight sighed “I’m done with hoping all it does in the end is make the loss a thousand times harder.” With that Twilight turned and trotted out of the room and back to her chambers.

*

Cadance sighed. It was her fault Shining wasn’t here with her, if she had started the portal earlier, during the light of the sun like Shining had asked her to he would be by her side now. He had begged her to begin the portal spell that day but Cadance was scared. She admitted it, she was scarred out of her mind and now because of her lack of courage her husband was dead.

Plus now on top of it all Twilight was lost to her, Twilight blamed her for her brother’s death just as much as she blamed herself. It was too much; Cadance had to find a way to show Twilight that not all is lost.

And with that she began writing a letter.

*

Spike had finally reached the outskirts of the Everfree forest when he belched. It was not a normal belch but rather one of a magical nature. He was surprised because he had not received a letter in several months and instead of the normal fiery red that marked the arrival of a letter a heart lifting pink flame filled his vision for a brief moment before a scroll fell into his hands.

Dear Spike,

I hope you get this letter and you have not fallen prey to the many predatory beasts that now roam the land. As you may have noticed Equestria is in a state of open war against the horde of Discord (who is possessed by a fragment of King Sombra… Kinda hard to explain) Anyways most of Equestria’s civilian population has retreated to Castle Defiance in the Everfree forest, and while our ponies are determined to fight and win back Equestria we are too few to defeat the army of King Sombra.

This is where we need you Spike, more than ever. You have the ability to turn this war in our favor and save Equestria from destruction.

Spike I wish for you to return to Dragonia and persuade them to help us defeat King Sombra. It is no easy task I have put before you Spike but the fate of Equestria is in your claws. We attack Canterlot in one month. We will look to your arrival.

HRH,

Princess Cadance

Spike read the letter twice absorbing every word, and every syllable, before turning around and heading back to Dragonia, the letter in his claws and worry in his heart.

*

Discord smiled at his friend, his white goddess. The story she- Celestia had told of him and his life was captivating, at times he cried at his mistakes and other times her smiled and brought his friend into a hug.

The ether was a much brighter place with Celestia with him, in the beginning it was a dark place darker even than his heart, but now it was a beacon of light a warm embrace against the cold of death.  She had told him that he was dead, that the evil being known as King Sombra had killed him and Celestia and laid waste to Equestria- Discords home.

Discord at first did not understand the feeling that overwhelmed him when he thought of this King Sombra; it was cold, yet fiery and filled his every thought. How this Pony- King Sombra had taken everything from Discord, and from Celestia without a thought.

“Dizzy, we need to talk… I must confess that I have not been entirely truthful about the events that transpired in our lives.” Celestia started saying

“What do you mean Celly?”

“King Sombra didn’t kill you and he didn’t kill me. He possessed your body and forced your spirit into the ether.”

“What? So I’m not dead? What about you why are you here?” Discord asked. Celestia turned away

“You killed me.” Celestia said silently “You were not yourself but still it was you that killed me.” Celestia paused before continuing “I’m telling you this because I believe there is a way for You to return to Equis.”

*

Twilight once more lay in her room however this time the room was put together and everything was as it should be. Except for the broken heart in the room, the wound in Twilights heard had festered and had turned black with infection.

“I thought I would find you in here Twilight.” Luna said opening the door of Twilights chamber before trotting in and sitting across from the Lavender Mare. “You know you can’t stay locked up in here forever don’t you? Your ponies need you!”

“They are not MY ponies; they will never be mine to me.” Twilight replied looking at Luna calmly “They will always be Celestia’s ponies to me, and look at the horrible job I have done babysitting them.”

“Twilight you are a crowned princess of Equest-“

“I DON’T CARE WHAT THE BUCK MY TITLE IS!” Twilight yelled “it doesn’t matter. Equestria is lost. Our old lives of peace are gone. Gone forever, burned to ash by the flames of war.”

Luna sighed and looked away, worry etched on her face, she knew this sorrow that consumed Twilight and knew it intimately. She looked deep in thought before replying.

“I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Twilight. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Twilight, I do understand. I know now. Ponies in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.”

“What are we holding onto, Luna?

“That there's some good in this world, Twilight... and it's worth fighting for.

*

King Sombra sat in Celestia’s- no his throne, a smile etched upon his- no Discords face. The King was good at taking things he wanted and he always got what he wanted no matter the body count. Daemonic guards patrolled the corridors and his puppet slaves toiled in the streets below and in the crystal caves beneath Canterlot. Attached to a support column by a thick moon steel chain was none other than the “Prince” of the Crystal Empire, Shining Armor. No pony would have known the prince upon first glance, his normally alabaster white coat was stained red with his own blood and chunks of fur were missing from his coat. Scars and open wounds ran across his body and his eyes were shut silently wishing for death.

“So my… Prince… you said something about not fearing death if I do remember correctly? So I am sure now that you do not fear it… in fact I am sure now that you wish it upon two ponies.”

“And who would that be your highness?” Shining armor spat back at King Sombra, distaste etched into every line on his face.

“Why me of course! Why wouldn’t you want to kill me? I’ve taken everything from you! Your kingdom, your wife, your family, and now I’ve taken your physical well-being!”

“My family is still alive! My sister and wife will beat you!”

“Are you so sure Shining Armor? How do you know that your sisters head is not currently on a spike outside with your wife’s head beside her?”

“YOU LIE!”

“Maybe, or maybe not how can you know? Your trapped here broken in both body and mind with no one but me for company, the perpetrator of your despair.” King Sombra replied solemnly before turning to leave

“Wait!” Shining Armor yelled at Sombra

“Yes?”

“You never told me the second pony I want dead!”

“Ha! Yourself of course! Who would want to live like this? Your every breath denies you peace your heart beat is just another moment spent without your family.” Sombra replied “You do not fear death because you died a long time ago.”

And for the first time since Twilights coronation Shining Armor cried.