Luna gasped in pain as she pulled herself up from the grass, wincing from the motion of flexing the muscles in her right foreleg, the flesh there was charred and cracked around a hole that went clean to the scorched bone beneath. Her ear twitched, acquiring the sound of her assailant’s approach just as another powerful attack tore into her aura, blasting apart what remained of the protective field of energy and scorching her ribs.

By sheer strength of will Luna did not fall, and in turn rounded on her opponent with time enough to produce a barrier between herself and Chrysalis. The wall of blue light exploded under the force of another burst of oncoming magic, fortunately stopping it dead allowing Luna time for an offensive of her own. As her horn discharged however, the queen teleported at the last moment, leaving Luna’s barrage to sail away harmlessly into the trees.

Chrysalis emerged from her teleport behind the princess of the night, releasing yet another onslaught of power that Luna only narrowly avoided. “Why!?” The queen demanded as she attacked again. “Won’t you simply just die already?!”

Luna’s retort was swift and arrived in the form of a massive blast of dark blue magic that caught Chrysalis in the face, hurling her backwards into a fountain that blew to pieces under the impact and sent water and masonry flying in a wide arc of destruction. Pressing her advantage Luna doubled the power to her horn and fired a second blast similar to the latter, obliterating all traces of the fountain and creating a towering explosion of dirt and debris that rained all around the garden. “That ‘twas for dear Cadence’s wedding, foul wench,” Luna said darkly, spitting a bit of blood out the side of her mouth as she approached the smoking crater.

As the dark Alicorn drew close to the craters’ edge a burst of highly pressurized air blew out from its center, clearing away the dust and smoke from the blast to reveal a bloodied and smoking Changeling queen. Or rather, the creature that had been a Changeling queen before the Nightmare within took control for itself. A pair of dark rage filled eyes stared back at Luna as the transformation continued to warp and enlarge the queen’s already formidable body.

“Well done Princess, I had been worried these past few years of peace had made you soft, weak,” the new Nightmare hissed through the bright green blood flowing out of her mouth as she rose, numerous wounds sealing themselves as she spoke. “I see those worries were unwarranted, being that you thoroughly trounced such an acceptable host, even if she was without the fullest of my aid,” a loud squishy pop ended her words as Chrysalis’ wings exploded in size to complement her new increase in stature.

Luna in turn seemingly became suddenly unaware of her own injuries as they began to heal as well, erasing the damage brought on by the belligerent queen. “We can assure you, Nightmare, we have spent far too much time in preparation for your inevitable return to have fallen victim to this new life,” she replied evenly, mane brightening in color as her energy levels spiked.

Nightmare smiled wickedly as the queen’s already significant fangs lengthened right out of her mouth, giving her a saber-toothed look. “So, you did know after all,” Chrysalis’ body shuddered through the pain of her horn growing out a few more inches, an aura of barely contained power radiating from its surface. “For how long, then?”
Luna’s gaze narrowed as she scrutinized the new creature before her as its power continued to rise dramatically. “From the moment the Elements sent their wills against us, and tore you from us,” she said as her own power climbed ever higher to match that of her foe. “We knew from then on that thou still lived and that Fate would lead us together again, intent on our own resolve to this quarrel.”

Smiling in a disturbingly friendly way the Nightmare took a step up from the crater and stared at her prey intently, hunger flashing in her eyes as energy built up along her form. “Then you also must have known about tonight, that being your reason for your, habit. Sitting alone out here pretending to be the good little princess Celestia remembers, what a farce, what did you tell her? Hmm, that I was dead? That your precious Elements destroyed me for good?” she asked with a dangerous leer as she walked right up to the Alicorn of the night. “She may remain ignorant, as false a bearer as ever there was. You and I, we know the truth, don’t we, Luna? We know the one thing those relics to be incapable of, the reason they do what they do to creatures like us.”

With a smirk at Luna’s expression Nightmare began to circle her, a predator sensing out her prey’s weakness, her fears. “Isn’t it ironic?” She asked, moving up along Luna’s side. “Star Swirl was right after all, not that I’m surprised,” she said with a venomous smile.

“Thou dare’est speak his name, thy mouth is unworthy of its utterance,” Luna said dangerously as her teeth began to grind together in near unbridled fury, her power exploding around her in an aura of dark blue energy that froze the ground at her hooves in a layer of ice.

The Nightmare moved to stand in front of Luna once again as her face darkened into a scowl, her own teeth bared. “And what of you, slipping back into your pathetic rendition of the old royal voice, speaking down on me as though I were one of your subjects to be commanded! I am no subject of yours, princess!” She said with an angry snort of disdain.

Luna’s own anger dwindled slightly as she instead became somewhat melancholic, memories of days long passed playing through her mind. “Thou were, once, before you fell,” Luna reminded softly, a thick silence coming between them as their eyes met briefly.

Nightmare tensed as her anger flared anew, a tortured cry escaping her as she surged forward and slammed into Luna’s chest with all the force of a steam engine. “Small! Pathetic! Weak!” She screamed, slamming a hoof into the princess’ face with thunderous power. “That is all I ever was in that life! All that I could ever have been!” Another hoof swung low, impacting Luna’s ribs.
In a blur of motion Luna kicked out, catching the Nightmare in the side of her skull sending her skidding back across the grass before firing a blast of magic at her attacker. An explosion of azure light illuminated the garden as an entire acre was blasted skyward by the detonation, a fountain of debris mushrooming into the air.

As dirt and clumps of shrubbery continued to rain down all around her Luna returned to a much more reserved stance, seeing that she would need to begin to take things more seriously. She eyed the creature staring back at her, its face betraying nothing but rage.

“Enough of this playing around, Luna!” Nightmare growled as she advanced again, power flooding her horn as she moved. “I came looking for a fight,” she said pointedly, rising into the air as Luna did the same. “No more holding back, from either of us,” she hissed.

/ / / / / / / / / / /

Twilight scurried backwards as another large chunk of marble crashed to the balcony from the slowly crumbling tower above, the structure twisting and groaning as its base conceded to the load. With a flash of her horn she quickly dragged the shaking form of Fluttershy from the path of a second rapidly descending stone as it too smashed down. Always though, she kept an ever watchful eye on the Draconequus, the creature of chaos floated there, watching them through it all.

In typical Rainbow Dash fashion the prismatic mare darted forward, intent on smashing a hoof into the floating Chimera’s face, only to be hurled back by an unseen force. Tumbling uncontrollably, she slammed into Rarity and the two rolled down the stairs and out of sight.

Whipping her head around to watch her friends disappear, Twilight barely caught sight of a pink blur as it tackled her aside, a second later another giant slab of marble slammed down in the space she had just occupied. Scrambling back to her hooves she froze as she found herself alone. “Pinkie?” She said slowly, a deep sense of dread clawing at the back of her mind.

With a snort and a quick chortle of laughter, Pinkie Pie bounced up and out from behind the mass of rock, continuing to giggle as she approached her purple friend. “Wow! Heh, that was a close one huh?” She said, coming to stand beside the bewildered unicorn, her tail twitching like crazy. She gave her friend a quick nuzzle. “Oh relax Twi, I’m not going anywhere just yet, I still have way too much left to do in this story,” Pinkie smiled warmly as she glanced up at Discord, the creature mirroring the look of confusion enveloping Twilight’s face. “Besides, it’s Rarity who should be worried.”

“Uh, Pinkie Pie, my dear?” The floating Discord asked calmly, the air of evil intent seeming to fade for the briefest of moments as he spoke. “Would you mind terribly, sitting still for just a moment?”

Pinkie looked up at him questioningly for a moment before smiling brightly. “Oh sorry, sure thing, M,” she said sweetly before wrapping Twilight in a massive bear hug and squeezing her close, a foreleg stretching impossibly far to do the same to a trembling Fluttershy. “Okie-Doki-Lokie!” She chirped in her most bubbly sing song voice, a slight hint of mischief playing at the edge of her tone. “Fire away!” She yelled.

“Pinkie! What are you doing?!” Twilight shrieked as Discord began charging a massive black ball of crackling magic. She struggled frantically against her friend’s suddenly unyielding grip, a single forelimb seemingly all Pinkie needed to hold her in place. “Pinkie!?” Panic was filling Twilight’s mind and body, her voice trembling even as she yelled her loudest.

“Trust me Twilight!” Pinkie shouted back over the cacophony of static and building energy before them, her face set in absolute assurance of her actions. “This is right where we need to be!” She said, glancing down at the large red x that had inexplicably appeared under them.

Discord Fired.

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Celestia opened her eyes, a deep guttural growl crawling up her throat as she tossed a full metric ton of rubble away from her prone form, stones and dust fleeing in the wake of her awakening fury as her power exploded outward. She climbed to her hooves, wisps of white ethereal energy rising from several deep wounds as they sealed from within.

Scanning the cloudy gloom around her, Alicorn eyes cutting through the dust with ease, she cringed at the sight they yielded. A devastated corridor stretched away to either side of her, curving inwards into the dark as the glow crystals flickered in their wall mounts.

What caught her attention the most however, were the bodies. Several corpses littered the floor around her hooves, flesh seared from the recent explosion and bones pulverized by crumbling chunks of ceiling that had fallen upon them from above. In the vain hope of finding survivors Celestia began scanning the rubble, prodding at exposed limbs and the slightly less charred.

“Auntie?” Came a surprisingly less pompous than normal voice, its owner carefully negotiating the piles between them as he approached her. “Oh, thank satin silk I found you auntie,” he said, looking about the mess with a look somewhere between anger and shock a hoof raised as he tiptoed past a slowly growing puddle of blood. He produced a silk handkerchief and began desperately scrubbing at a miniscule stain on his coat. “Some barbaric brute has just dared damage your beloved castle,” the posh stallion harrumphed, sweeping a hoof elegantly around them and casting the lightly stained cloth aside.

“Yes, thank you Blueblood. I can see that,” Celestia muttered as she continued her searching, turning over a cart sized slab of stone with seemingly no effort only to grimace at the stain beneath. Turning back to the prince she looked him over as well, noting his ruffled demeanor and anxious face.

‘Come now, Celestia,’ said the voice once more, flowing effortlessly through her mind. ‘You bore me, surely you have not been downed from such a simple blow,’ a feeling of disappointment seeped into the tone as it continued. ‘Where is that fighting spirit I remember from so long ago?’

Celestia turned her gaze out the jagged hole her body had made, glaring across the distance to where her attacker waited. ‘Best not to keep me waiting my dear, otherwise, I may become bored.’

“Blueblood,” Celestia said levelly, the last of her wounds sealing over and fading from her coat. “Locate Sergeant Rampart and order him to begin evacuating the castle grounds, then I want you down in the vault with the other members of parliament, understood?” She instructed more than asked, glancing back to see him nod.
“Of course auntie,” he said with a low bow, his attitude turning to a very rare tone of seriousness that seemed completely alien to his usual behavior. “Do be careful.”

Offering a quick nod of her own Celestia turned back to her foe, flared her wings and was gone, leaving her nephew alone in the darkness, a sly grin going over his lips as a hoof ran through his pale blond mane. Revealing the golden ring resting around his horn…

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Obsidian Black took one last step and bowed regally before the princess of love, his nostrils flaring at the familiar scent of the Changeling carnage his blades had wrought, reveling in yet another job well done. “Your highness,” he said, voice smooth and elegant. “Obsidian Black, milady, of the Scarlet Service. Acting on behalf of their standing orders to protect you at any cost,” the Bat pony informed as he glanced up at her, eyes glinting in the dark.

“Oh?” Cadence stuttered as her eyes wandered across the mounds of gore littering the hall, pausing to linger amongst the fallen ponies. “Of course, Obsidian, thank you. My other guards are they…?” She paused, her voice catching as he nodded.
“I am afraid so ma’am,” he confirmed, stealing a momentary glance at the young Pegasus guard. “We must not linger here, Changelings are attacking all across the city, and Discord has been freed,” he said firmly, once again peering into the eyes of the princess. Beads of sweat forming along his brow as though he were straining under exertion.

“Very well then,” Cadence said with a subtle nod, eyes seemingly locked with those of the Bat pony. She tensed visibly as the tower shuddered again, the protests of the stones below becoming more urgent by the second. “If you please.”
Obsidian Black returned the nod with the faintest hint of a smile as he turned to the Pegasus next to her, a fore hoof twitching slightly in its gauntlet. The feel of the spring lock system within holding back the deadly blades feeling ever so familiar as he scrutinized the stallion before him, and a decision was made.

Feeling the newcomer’s gaze upon him Flash Sentry did the only thing his stunned brain could think to do when surveyed by a superior officer. “PFC Flash Sentry of her Majesties’ Elite Fighting Pegasi and designated Royal Escort, SIR!” He barked out as if addressing a Drill Sergeant during basic.

“Indeed,” Obsidian murmured absentmindedly before addressing him more professionally. “If that be the case, head back down to the main corridor and round up as many guards as you can get your hooves on,” he couldn’t help the faintest hint of a grin as the Pegasus’s eyes seemed to glaze slightly. “Now move your flank soldier! The princess and I shall follow once it is clear,” Nearly tripping over his own forehooves the Pegasus stallion whirled about and practically flew down the hallway, the princess seemingly forgotten.

Turning back to Cadence the Bat pony gave a near devilish grin, he always loved it when a good plan came together. “Now, if her majesty would be so kind as to follow me, we should escape this tower before it brings our end,” he said, extending a wing to guide her back into the room behind them. As they entered Obsidian Black reached back and slowly closed the doors.

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Out along the farthest reaches of the Canterlot gardens, farther than most ponies ever bothered to travel, four large statues stood. They were great hulking things, the largest among them easily twice the size of the once Discord monument. They stood there, covered in moss and grunge from millennia of neglect, waiting.

Slowly at first the grove of ancient ash trees that stood watch over them began to groan and creak as the ever present energy field surrounding the representations stirred, fluctuating and bulging for the first time in their recorded history. Then the very soil beneath them began to shake and blacken as the prisoners fully awoke within and strained the seams of their prisons, an age of pent up rage and lust for destruction urging them forward.

The word is given. And the four Phage of the Apocalypse shall heed their master’s call once more. So it is written, so to shall it be.

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Twilight Sparkle flinched, feeling the heat of the surging magical blast as it approached. She was dead, it just hadn’t happened yet. This was the thought that flashed through her mind as the world went white around her, ears hearing nothing but static as death drew ever nearer. Yet, it never came. Looking up, Twilight beheld her savior.

Celestia stood strong, bracing herself between the glowing mass of death and her student. She was drawn up on her hind legs, fore limbs outstretched and denying the attack’s advancement. Sheer power radiated from her entire being as she slowly began to push the energy back, the stone at her hooves glistening as it melted into puddles with arcs of lightning flashing into the night. “Run! All of you, now!” She shouted over the howling charge.

Twilight strained forward even as Pinkie began pulling her back, a fearful look growing on her face. “But, Princess!” She called, not wanting to leave her mentor’s side right when she might need her the most.

“No, Twilight! Not this time, this is beyond any of you!” Celestia yelled in a strained voice as Discord turned up the power even further, her sides beginning to glow bright from within as her aura streaked with color. The assembled ponies’ jaws dropped open as a massive burst of magic exploded off her body and hurled itself through Discord’s attack, catching him unawares as it bowled him over. The Draconequus sailed into the hedge maze, a cry of surprise trailing in his wake.

A cold slithery feeling entered into the back of Twilight’s mind, followed swiftly by an all too familiar voice. ‘Listen to her Twilight Sparkle, for your own good. This is not to end well,’ it was Discord’s voice, there could be no doubt. And yet, somehow, it was different. “Please, for Celestia’s sake leave us. Only at her peak does she stand a chance and she will not risk hurting you ponies.”

Twilight was certain there was a difference to the chimera’s tone, it was sad, reserved, and more than just a touch scared. Was there more going on here than she realized?

The lavender Unicorn was pulled from the observation of Celestia as her power flared brighter still, shining like a star in the night. “Twilight, my student. I want you to gather your friends and leave the castle grounds at once,” she said, her voice like iron as her wings spread wide, glowing white hot like phosphorous. “Keep each other safe until I call for you, please,” like a bolt of lightning, she was gone.

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

“Aaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!! You fool! You shall burn in the deepest pits of the void for this!” The Draconequus roared as he smashed his face into the ground, gouging a sizable crater in the earth. He threw a clenched fist into the dirt beside him in fury to similar effect. “You dare defy me!? I allow you to continue your pitiful existence and this is the thanks I receive in return?” The creature howled at the sky as it staggered back to a standing position, countless emotions playing over its features.

‘What’s wrong, M?’ A pained voice asked, strain and fatigue slowing its words. ‘Can’t handle a little opposition from the inside anymore?’ There was a moment of silence as its tentative grip on consciousness waned. ‘I thought you would be happy, having majority control again, that is what you wanted. Right?’ another brief pause. ‘Well, now you have it.’

The beast standing in the darkness glowered at his raised forelimbs, a deep snarl creeping up his throat at the smug tone the voice taunted him with. “I admit, my need of this body continues, but the very moment I become free of such bonds it will give me immense pleasure to obliterate you in the most unpleasant manner possible,” he spat, eyeing his burnt limb as he channeled energy into healing the scalded areas. “Your time, Discord, will come. Very soon.”

With considerable effort the prisoner within made itself known yet again, a fact that annoyed the warden greatly given the amount of energy he expended to keep his ward suppressed. “Not as soon as yours. I don’t care how much of me is destroyed in the process, I will fight you, I will not let you hurt her, and I will beat you!” The voice cried out as its influence surged forward from the deepest recesses of conscience. The body contorted sideways as control was contested between the two, falling down on one knee and screaming in the tongues of both occupants.

“Discord, you damned fool!” The body said, tone wavering in and out as the voice changed accordingly with the balance of power within. “You merely delay the inevitable! Do you truly think you have any chance?” Internally, a devastating blow was struck.
With one final defiant tremor the body grew still in its stance, the victor decided. ‘No, I do not, M,’ Discord replied silently, sounding defeated as the features that were once his continued to grow and change, becoming aggressive, more feral. ‘But, she does.’

A blinding white light slammed into the distracted Draconequus, a golden clad hoof ramming itself deep into the chimera’s gut, doubling him over. Before he could react Celestia brought the limb back and launched the other forward, hitting with such speed as to elicit a sonic boom noticeable for miles around that shattered windows and brought pain to the ears of mortals in close proximity. The sheer energy of the point blank attack exploded the ground from below them, hurling away clumps of grass and soil.

Power flaring in his rage the Draconequus intercepted a third blow with a taloned grip, only to have the limb twist his arm away so a hind leg could lash out and snap his head back sending stars flashing across his sight. Following the path of the momentum he clasped his opponent’s limb firmly and launched her high into the air, grinning madly as he followed.

Celestia ducked under a vicious blow directed at her head and caught another with a wing, she then rolled away and grasped at Discord’s tail with her magic. Snagging the appendage in a field of golden energy she hurled him back towards the ground below, only for him to teleport behind her and hammer both feet into the back of her skull.

Discord laughed as he drove the princess into the ground, producing a massive crater as her body plowed through the dirt. Reaching down to grasp her mane he pulled her head back. “What do you think Celestia?” He asked, before slamming her face back into the muck. “Just like the old days, yes? You, Luna, and those impudent Star Order whelps all blundering after me,” he repeated the action again, more forcefully this time. “Harassing me at every turn, just itching to take your revenge on poor old Discord.”

Coughing out a mouthful of dirt as he raised her head for another blow Celestia berated him. “Is this what thou meant when you asked for a talk? To draw us into a duel in a place that would endanger so many of our little ponies, I wi-” Discord smashed her face down again, plunging it near completely under the soil.

“Slipping back into that customary habit of yours, after so many centuries of disuse?” He pulled her up again. “My dear little Celestia, and here I thought you weren’t sentimental about the old days. Does this mean you’re still having issues regarding your parents?” He said, leering down on her as her aura shifted hue subtly.
Craning her neck to glare back at him Celestia gritted her teeth for a moment, fighting to control herself. “Semantics have nothing to do with it, there is a much simpler reason,” she said, straining against his grip.

“I’m listening,” Discord muttered, before roughly jamming his clawed foot into the back of her neck, procuring a satisfying flinch of pain as red began staining the fur under the limb. “Why not tell me all about it?” He taunted as he ground the claw around under her skin.

Celestia pressed a fore hoof along her side, searching for leverage Discord would not let her find. “You… Brought great evil… Into this world,” she said between breaths as she struggled against him. “And it befalls to my sister and I too ensure tha-” The princess cringed as the beast above her ground his claws deeper into her flesh.

“No, Celestia,” he said calmly, eyes tracing a droplet of glowing crimson that slipped down the side of her neck to the dirt below. “The evil was already here. I am simply its humble guide,” Discord leaned forward to peer into her eyes, pressing even more weight on the wound to the mare’s neck. “I merely provide structure and direction to a force that remains as wild and untamed as the day the Forger created it.”

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

With loud snorts and a flourish of flared wings the rising mares blurred forward with speed no mortal eye could track, crashing together with a thunderous impact, blasting apart the very air around them as they fought. Limbs collided and spells discharged, demolishing what little remained of the gardens around them in errant torrents of energy.

Luna ducked beneath a hasty swing directed at her face, twirling mid flap to send the knuckle of a wing sailing into the nightmare’s borrowed throat, the blow landing with sufficient force to crack the queen’s armor-like skin. The dark creature was hurled back into the trees of the forest, slamming through giant old-growth trunks like matchsticks. Blurring into action princess Luna shot forward and caught the Nightmare around the throat, angling her head down into the ground as she continued to fly at great speed.

After carving a significant trench into the forest floor with her assailant, Luna curved back into the air and accelerated towards the mountainside, altering her grip a moment before impact so that her passenger rested between the wall of oncoming granite and herself.

The Changeling’s body impacted with thunderous force, exploding the stone like glass as the Alicorn forced her through it, pushing her as deep as she could before the Nightmare caught herself and shoved back against the princess.

Luna stumbled back slightly, unbalanced in the air by the blow. She intercepted a limb as Nightmare tried to elbow her in the gut, returning it with a powerful punch to the spine that caused the not queen to cry out before firing off a spell at the stone around them, blasting the surrounding rocks into dust and forcing Luna back only for her to immediately rush back in to begin delivering heavy blows that smashed her ever further into the side of the mountain.

Growling in frustration the Nightmare timed her next attack to a key, slamming her head back into the princess’s face as she drew in for another hit. Grinning at the sight of spraying crimson she rounded on her prize, running home a devastating blow to Luna’s lower chest. Nightmare smiled on the inside as her improved hearing picked up on the sound of ribs cracking under her hoof.
Luna staggered back, wincing slightly from the unfamiliar pain. It had been so long since she had felt the like of it, she had nearly forgotten. Returning her gaze to the horror before her, she flinched somewhere inside. It was far from the last pain the day would bring.

Not wanting to lose the momentary advantage Nightmare pressed forward, launching out from the newly formed crater in the mountain she tackled Luna right out of the air. Not bothering to distance herself before attacking she cried out to the heavens as her horn flared to life.

“Gisanto Fliamm!” she shouted.

A massive sphere of orange red energy swallowed the pair, detonating in a firestorm of destructive antimatter magic. The blast decimated much of the nearby forest and pulverized a pair of large rock formations, blasting the hundred foot boulders apart like pewter plates.

As the cloud of smoke and residual magic cleared from the sky the two combatants resolved into view, forelimbs locked together as they struggled for leverage. Their bodies singed and smoking, yet neither willing to concede. They had both come too far, and risked so much for this moment.

“Thou wanted us at our best,” Luna growled, struggling against the Nightmares hooves as they bore down on her. “And thou shalt have it!” Her mane exploded outward in a starburst of colors. Blues, violets, and shades of purple all surged throughout her mane as it lengthened out and flowed with greatly increased vigor. “We are going to make thee pay for all thou have done!” She screamed, eyes beginning to shine white from within as power flowed off her form.

A bright sphere of magic formed itself around the body of the lunar princess, momentarily obscuring her from view only to reveal her seconds later, as well as the dramatic changes to her appearance. Lightning arced off Lunas body and tore at the surrounding airspace, blasting several nearby trees into ash from the pure power they contained. The flashing light served to highlight the deepening hue Luna’s coat had undertaken, darkening to a shade more akin to the depths of midnight.

The air began to shimmer as even it bid to retreat from the overwhelming energy forcing it back. As Luna continued to increase in power her wings, mane, and tail flared with power all their own, growing out and shining like pulsars in the void of space. All other sources of light in the area dimmed and seemed to fade away as the surrounding shadows swallowed the two, wrapping them in a thick blanket of darkness.

It was all gone in an instant however, the massive power increase fizzling and popping out of existence before it could finish as a familiar needle fine beam of black purple light shot out from the darkness and cleanly bisected the princess’s chest, clipping her spine and dropping her to the shattered ground below.

Luna crashed to the rocky ground in a heap, releasing a scream as her body contorted over itself as she rolled uncontrollably down a slight slope. Coming to a rest against a house sized boulder she slowly opened her eyes, just in time to watch the Nightmare slam a hoof into her already cracked ribs, crushing several of them as her body shattered the rock and tumbled further down the mountain.

Panting from her own exertions the Nightmare glided down and landed before the pummeled princes, grinning as the bloodied mare before her struggled to move, thick wisps of ethereal energy coming off her as dozens of wounds struggled to close themselves. She could see the pieces of shattered bones sliding together beneath the skin as Luna attempted a glare, temporarily immobilized as her mangled vertebra knitted themselves back together.

Nightmare leaned in close, her own blood flowing freely from grievous wounds as she stared intently at her favorite host, Luna continuing to stare back as defiantly as ever, a hoof scraping feebly at the dirt as control was restored to the limb.

With a final forward motion the Nightmare kneeled down and firmly pressed their horns together, a shower of sparks and a cold jab of pain accompanying the familiar feeling of her conscience blurring, moving from one host to the next. Nightmare took immense pleasure as the new power flooded through her being, finding herself in a familiar place, the mind, of Princess Luna.

Even as the faint feeling of being surrounded by fog clawed at Nightmare’s awareness, the only thought to pass through her mind, was how deceptively easy that had been. Perhaps, too easy...

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Owlovard sat stock still as his mind reeled, desperately attempting to comprehend what he had just heard. Surely it was wrong, yes, he had heard wrong. Tillook had never, would never show interest in aiding anyone who was not himself. It had to be a trick, there was no other explanation. Glancing at the newt in question his gaze hardened with distrust.

Face held impassive, Tillook looked on as the screams continued from below. “Decline my right to play a role, and chaos will be the least of your problems, friend. Or has the last millennium dulled you into truly believing in these, Champions of yours?” Not bothering to so much as turn his head the question practically fell from his mouth, the accusation blatant and thick in the night air.

“My belief, Tillook, is that they truly possess the power to end this conflict, once and for all,” his gaze hardened further as another scream from the night princess reached his ears, causing him to shudder as he fought the desire to race to her aid. “Despite what Infinity has written.”

“Ah yes, that,” Tillook all but sneered as he cracked a knuckle casually. “A rather terrible ending for all of you, as I recall,” he said, watching the owl in his peripheral vision. “I shudder just thinking about the ending of such innocence, when it could so easily be avoided,” he turned to look at Owlovard again, expression becoming surprisingly serious. “And what of yourself, old friend. What horrible demise awaits you, at the end? Surely nothing so terrible as Magic.”

“My fate, Tillook, shall be no different than those I observe,” Owlovard inhaled sharply as the queen made her final act in the duel, and Luna fell silent. “Their suffering shall become my own as the world crumbles and burns, all our past sins made manifest.”

“Always such a dark outlook,” Tillook tisked under his breath as he raised a hairless eyebrow. “Consider your position, Owlovard. You knew this day was coming, you knew from the time the last great house fell from the heavens that this would be the final conflict. A conflict you could never hope to win. And now, even your precious Champions are scattered and without balance,” he let loose another chortle of pure ironic bliss. “They quarrel and bicker amongst themselves, vying for a birthright which belongs to none of them. And come to find out the Timeless Heart is active yet again, made so by your oh so precious bearers!”

Tillook gestured at the very group of ponies he had indicated, far too distant for any mortal eye to see, yet were plain as day for the pair to observe. “Those six, tailored and then ultimately manipulated into their positions. All planned out, refined, and used for your own purposes. Only to fall short on the one night that matters above all others, scared, alone, and about to die. What a shame,” the little newt mused as he turned and walked back towards the shadow from whence he came, a hidden smile on his face as he went.

“And here I thought you didn’t care about losing ponies, Tillook,” Owlovard said levelly, causing the retreating fiend to pause mid step, the hidden grin growing considerably.
Shaking his head with a sigh the newt spoke, his voice cold. “I, don’t, Owlovard,” Tillook said in reply, equally as levelly. “But you do,” the creature continued as he glanced back over his shoulder. “And tonight you shall lose a great deal of them.”

/ / / / / / / / / / / /

Nightmare shook herself awake, unsure of how much time had passed. After entering the mind of the princess something had happened that, try as she might, she could not explain to herself. Glancing about she found herself floating in a void of shifting color and black light that defied comprehension even by a being of her age and understanding.

Taking an experimental step forward rewarded her with the seeming ability to walk on not but air as the apparent floor dropped down and out of sight. Ignoring the faint traces of whispers floating along around her Nightmare turned instead to the all too familiar Magical signature waiting patiently behind her. “I must say, this is one pleasure I would have been all too happy to forego,” she muttered coldly, anger boiling up at the realization of the trick played on her.

Stepping forward from the shadows arrayed around her Luna approached the creature invading her mind, stopping a few feet away. Glaring daggers at her foe she spoke, tone level and calm, yet filled with enough venom to make a dragon flinch. “Our apologies for the Inconvenience, Nightmare,” she said, an ominous glow spreading out from under her hooves as power filled her. “You are in our realm now, and cannot leave here without our permission. Which we do not intend to give.”

Taking an uneasy step in retreat Nightmare glanced around in trepidation as Luna drew closer, a look of near glee coming over her. “Welcome, to the Dreamscape. Cur.”

Author's Notes:

So, who can tell I am heavily inspired by the dragon ball series? Keep a sharp lookout for all those references! There will be many. Next time, Solar fire vs Discordian elder power! ~Dollars.

Hell yeah violence!

Also it's annoying as [REDACTED] when the indentations all vanish from the story when I put it here.
-Jake