"MIDNIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!" Was all Luna shouted.

After that, Luna never said anything that could be considered a word. All she did after that was blast colossal sized magic, very large chaotic looking spheres of dark blue magic. But this proved of no use against the newly formed Midnight. Every attack Luna blasted merely evaporated away when it came too close to Midnight. But this didn't stop Luna, who's attack were gradually growing larger in size, more unstable in shape, and darker in color.

"You really need to be careful." Midnight remarked, pointing at Rune. "He's still alive. So what would happen if I were to dodge? What would happen to Rune?"

Princess Luna, even in her rage realized that Midnight was right, if she attacked, Rune could die. Luna powered down her attack. Midnight, seeing her moment, flew straight at Luna.

"Look out!" Gemini shouted.

A lavender flash ran by Gemini and stopped between Midnight and Luna. Midnight stopped where she stood, only a few feet away from Luna and the pony who got between them, Dusk Shine and he wasn't happy.

"Dusk?!" Luna said in disbelief, only moments ago, Dusk was still unconscious and exhausted. How was he standing?

"Dusk Shine..." Midnight laughed. "You're too late. The Nightmare Force is mine and your Elements of Harmony are defeated, there's no way you can stop me."

Rune's ear twitched. He was barely awake but he was hatching a plan.

"It doesn't matter what you have." Dusk declared. "I may not have the Elements of Harmony but we can still defeat you."

"Big talk from a little stallion." Midnight ridiculed. "Let's see how long this-ooohhfff"

Before Midnight even could finish her sentence, Dusk blasted her with a solid stream of purple dyed magic, almost like a giant pole smacked and sent Midnight across the room. Seeing Midnight was now away from Rune, Gemini leaped in and grabbed Rune, bringing him away from the fight.

"Rune are you okay?" Gemini asked, gently shaking Rune.

"I've...been...better.." Rune struggled to say, his speech was very blurred and he looked like he was way past the point of dead exhaustion. "I...have...to...stop..Midnight."

"You shouldn't even be moving." Gemini said. "If you try and fight, you will die."

"Midnight won't kill me." Rune replied. "If I die, she won't exist. But I have a better plan."

Rune looked over and saw what was happening. Dusk was unleashing various streams and elongated magic that were literally smacking Midnight around. Midnight was playfully dodging every so often but for some reason, Dusk's magic was affecting Midnight way more effectively than how Rune, Gemini and Luna's magic were.

"I need you to do me a favor." Rune asked.

"What is it?" Gemini replied.

"I need you to send me to Zecora's hut." Rune asked. "From there, I can get all the other Elements and stop Midnight."

"But most of the Elements are already here." Gemini responded. "Why Zecora's hut?"

"Because there is something there I need first." Rune's expression was rather serious but it almost looked sad.

"Okay. I'll do it." Gemini agreed.

Back to the fight, Dusk's magic was rather impressive and powerful but he was running out of magic very fast. It wasn't too long before Dusk's body started to get wobbly. He wasn't going to last.

"Looks like you're out of steam." Midnight laughed, her body though covered in bruises, cuts and other marks, the damage faded away. "So I guess I'm done playing with you."

"Don't forget about me!" Luna shouted while soaring above Midnight, her wings were spread and glowing blue with her horn. "YOU STILL HAVE ME!!!!" Luna started flapping her wings and tiny star-like magic rained upon Midnight. It was like a meteor shower was raining on her.

Rune was standing in the middle faintly glowing blue ring that Gemini erected.

"I don't know how long I'll be gone. But I need you to keep Midnight here." Rune instructed.

"We'll try." Gemini replied. "But what is it you're planning of doing?"

"Something reckless, crazy and will probably kill me." Rune smiled as he was teleported away.

"I hope this works." Gemini said as she turned around and charged at Midnight.

Gemini was able to get behind Midnight before she could notice, and was able to bound Midnight in blue fire-like chains that bolted to the ground, various worm-like darkness creatures emerged from the ground and gripped Midnight's hooves with their mouths.

"Hmmm not bad." Midnight remarked. "But it's not enough."

Midnight then tore her hooves free as if the worms were made of paper and and broke the chains as if they were twigs. Luna then came at Midnight from the left, swinging her hoof with great force. But Midnight raised her hoof and blocked the attack. Gemini, seeing her chance, charged at Midnight swinging her hoof with great force. But Midnight blocked it with her back leg.As if in sync, both Luna and Gemini took a firm grip of Midnight's hooves, leaving her only standing on two hooves. Seeing this as a signal, Dusk summoned a giant hammer made of blue and yellow colored magic and, with a heavy swing, slammed the hammer down on Midnight; Gemini and Luna were able to leap away at the last second. Before she even had time to recover, Dusk continuously slammed the hammer again and again and again.

"So are you having fun?" Midnight asked, standing behind Dusk.

Dusk turned around but felt the force of Midnight backhoofing him across the face.

"DUSK?!" Gemini shouted, charging at Midnight. Only to be backhoofed just as easily.

"Dusk, Gemini!?" Luna shouted, but when Midnight appeared behind her, Luna was able to dodge the hoof swing.

"Not bad." Midnight remarked with a smirk. "But not good enough."

Luna kept her eye on Midnight but then felt the force of something on her side pushing her to the ground. Too weak to move, and struggling to stay awake, Luna looked up to see two Midnights.

"TWO!??" Luna struggled to shout.

"No not two." Midnight laughed, the one that first tried to strike Luna faded away. "Only one."

"An illusion?" Luna remarked.

"You should thank my father for that." Midnight said. "Good bye my former Goddess.." Midnight raised her horn with her dark wings spread, a dirty gray aura glowed around the horn.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

A elongated point of orange light flew down from out of no where and impaled one of Midnight's wings. It didn't hurt, the wings were made out of darkness, but it was still a surprise.

"What the?!" Midnight said in surprise, but the only answer was the sight of another point piercing her other wing.

Leaping down between Luna and Midnight was Rune, but something looked different. Rune's mane was tied back in a ponytail, his eyes were focused yet were almost in a uncertain daze. Around Rune's neck were seven large beads.

"Rune?" Luna said in disbelief before nodding off.

"Well this looks different." Midnight laughed. "Why do you look so serious? What are you plan-"

Rune immediately closed the gap and threw Midnight across the room by her face. The points that were impaled on Midnight's wings pulled from the ground and with a jerk of his horn, Rune sent them flying at Midnight, impaling her wings again but against the back wall.

"WHAT THE BUCK!!!?" Midnight shouted, this was frustrating; Rune was barely clinging to life when she last saw him, now he's kicking her flank what the buck?!

"Just stay there." Rune instructed. "I'll be with you shortly."

Rune turned his back to Midnight and walked away, ignoring her curses and shouts. Even if the points were only impaling her wings, they somehow were stopping her from using magic. Rune made his was to the semi-conscious Dusk.

"Hey mate." Rune said, unclipping the back of his bead necklace dropping it to the ground. "Just hang tight."

The beads began to roll on their own, encircling both Dusk and Rune.

"What are you doing Rune?"  Midnight shouted, trying to pull herself free.

"Don't worry about it." Rune mocking responded.

The balls began to glow, each a different color; orange, yellow, white, pink, blue and finally purple. From each bead, small streams of their colored light bled out and began to connect with each other. Eventually a form took shape, surrounding both Dusk and Rune was an arcane circle:

(Source)

"What is that?!" Midnight asked.

"DON'T DO IT RUNE!!!!" Gemini shouted, she knew what Rune was planning. "I don't know how you found that spell, but don't do it! Only an Alicorn can use that spell and survive."

:"I know." Rune calmly said. "But I found a loophole, so instead of my life, I found something to sacrifice."

"AAAAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH!!!!!" Midnight couldn't help but laugh. "So in order to stop me, you're gonna sacrifice your only friend?!"

"No." Rune responded, then started shaking Dusk to wake him up. "Dusk wake up."

Dusk awoke but was still exhausted and weak. "What's going on Rune?"

"I have a secret to tell you." Rune whispered. "You are in the center of the circle."

"What do you-" Dusk asked but it was too late, Rune activated the circle.

There was a stillness in the air, all around him froze. Rune looked around and saw his plan unfold. His mane and tail felt as though it was on fire, and his horn felt it was ready to explode. In mere moments, Rune's mane and tail literally began to disintegrate away. His horn began to crack and slowly break apart. When the light faded, and all of time started up again, the effects of the spell was now seen. Rune, laid upon the ground, with no mane, no tail and most importantly....no horn. Besides him, cloaked in large lavender wings, with a power infused horn was Dusk Shine...the Alicorn.

"Dusk?!" Gemini couldn't believe it.

"He became..." Luna added, just barely able to see what laid before her.

"An Alicorn?!" Midnight shouted.

Dusk looked himself over, the feeling was amazing, incredible, he felt all the power he possessed and it was more than he could ever comprehend. Was this how Celestia and Luna or even Cadence felt? He then looked at Rune, who laid on the ground too weak and barely clinging to life again.

"Rune?" Dusk asked. "Why did you do this?"

"Be..cause.." Rune barely could answer. "Y..ou..'re...meant..to..." But Rune fell into unconsciousness.

"I don't understand..." Dusk said then looked at Midnight. "But I know what I must do."

"Rune.......Daddy???......" Midnight whispered to herself in fear and horror. "DUSK!!!! Don't think just because you're an Alicorn you can sto-"

Dusk was now inches away from Midnight, grabbed her by the muzzle, and with a push, slammed her head and body through the stone wall and they both fell down a deep, dark stairway. They soon landed with a loud and hard crash. Midnight quickly got to her hooves and stared upwards.  Looking down on her was the Dusk Alicorn. The look in his eyes...that look...was it confidence or was it pity?

"Don't look down on me, just because you grew wings!" Midnight shouted, charging her horn and blasting a massive shot of magic.

Dusk gave a flick of his horn and Midnight's attack bounced off an invisible barrier and crashed into the nearby wall, forming a  large hole. Midnight's horn glowed an black color and a magical blade-like structure formed from the horn. Dusk in turn did the same but his blade was white with hints of gold. Midnight charged at Dusk, swinging her blade to cut him in half only to have Dusk's blade block  and redirected the shock wave of the attack, destroying a section of the stair case. Again and again, Midnight swung down only to have Dusk block and redirect the attacks.

"It's so funny Dusk." Midnight remarked, continuing her onslaught. "You're the last pony I thought I'd fight like this but here you are, only able to block my attacks."

Dusk didn't immediately respond, he jumped back from Midnight. Seeing this retreat as her chance, Midnight charged straight towards Dusk, her horn ready to pierce him. But at the last second, with the point only a few inches away, Dusk backhoofed the blade, shattering it.

"It's funny Midnight." Dusk said, staring into Midnight's shocked eyes. "I wasn't blocking because I had to, I did so because I was afraid of my strength."

Dusk's blade exploded into a wave of magic, blasting Midnight back down to the ground with a loud crash. Midnight was quick to get back up but the thought disturbed her. How was Dusk this strong? Was he always this way or was it that spell Rune cast?

"There's no way..." Midnight said, her tone was a mixture of agitation and fear. "THERE'S NOW WAY YOU'RE STRONGER!!!!!!"

A heavy pressure quaked the air around Midnight. Everything felt so heavy, Dusk felt a slight heaviness around him but he saw that even small rocks around Midnight were cracking and shattering. He knew he had to end this quickly, if not who knows what Midnight would do. But....something was off...Midnight's wings were becoming more bat-like, her coat and mane were getting darker and her eyes were slowly becoming more void of color.

'Could this be?' Dusk thought to himself. "MIDNIGHT YOU HAVE TO STOP!!! If you keep using the Nightmare Force, you'll be consumed by it!"

"Consumed by it?!" Midnight replied but began to crack up laughing. "As long as I get what I want, I don't care!!!"

"I guess I have no choice." Dusk sighed, spreading his wings, absorbing all the nearby light. "I'll end this with one attack."

"BeTtEr MaKe It CoUnT!!!" Midnight replied, slowly losing herself to the Nightmare.

Both ponies began to charge their magic for their attacks. Dusk continued to absorb all nearby light as Midnight absorbed nearby darkness. Both magics were almost identical to how Celestia and Nightmare Moon looked when they fought, it might as well of been a repeat of history.

"dIe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" MIdnight shouted, blasting her magic, not giving Dusk enough time to finish.

But Midnight's victory would not occur. The darkness of Midnight's magic was being absorbed by Dusk, strengthening his own.

"LiGhT aNd DaRkNeSs???!!!!" Midnight shouted in shock, awe and fear.

"I'm sorry Midnight." Dusk apologized. "But it's over."

Dusk slammed him head downward, sending the blast of white-gold and black-silver magic overwhelming Midnight. Dusk slowly landed to the ground and looked at where Midnight was laying, one of her wings was completely gone and half her body was like it was before she consumed the Nightmare. Dusk looked back and saw that his wings were slowly breaking apart.

"Guess that spell was temporary." He said to himself. "I couldn't handle being an Alicorn any-"

"IT'S NOT OVER!!!!" Midnight shouted, struggling to look up in anger.

Dusk took a few steps back. "So you're still alive. Guess I still have to-" Dusk's wings immediately exploded away into small particles. Whatever spell Rune cast on Dusk, it was fading away, Dusk was losing the Alicorn power.

"I win Dusk!" Midnight proclaimed, standing up, the black ooze of the Nightmare was slowly moving around her body. "Soon the Nightmare Force will merge with my soul and I will gain a power unequal to any-"

The black ooze started to harden and shoot out small spikes and points. Midnight dropped to her knees, letting out groans of pain and coughing some blood.

"What is this?!" Midnight asked aloud.

"I guess it's happening." Answered a voice.

Midnight and Dusk looked over and saw Rune jump down from some of the destroyed stairs.

"Rune?!" Both Dusk and Midnight said at once.

"This is your fault?!" Midnight accused.

"No." Rune explained. "When a pony takes in the Nightmare Force, the weaker willed ones become consumed by it. Princess Luna and myself fell prey instantly. You were able to hold off its control." The Rune looked at Dusk. "But when Dusk overpowered you, you lost control. So the Nightmare is weakened and will consume your body and soul to heal itself. You'll vanish into darkness."

Dusk and Midnight's eyes widened in shock but Midnight had the more terrified look.

"I'm going to die?!" Midnight shuttered at the thought. "Please help me! I don't I don't..." He eyes started to water up as the ooze wrapped itself more and more around her, tightening its grip. "I don't want to die!!!"

Rune ran straight at Midnight and slammed a large clear crystal in front of Midnight.

"I will save you, but there is a price." Rune offered.

"Anything!!"Midnight declared.

"I will take the Nightmare from you, but you have to never do this again." Rune offered.

Midnight had to think it over for a couple moments but the pain spearing her through her body helped her make up her mind.

"I'LL DO IT!!" Midnight cried, tears streaming down her face.

Rune took Midnight's hooves and placed them on the crystal. He, in turn, placed his hooves on the crystal. Lacking a horn, Rune gestured Dusk to help him. Dusk ran over to Rune and placed his hooves on the crystal. With his horn glowing, Dusk acted like a magical beacon to the Nightmare. Painfully but relieving, the Nightmare spewed from Midnight's body but instead of going to Dusk or Rune, the crystal acted as a magnet and absorbed and trapped the Nightmare inside.

"It's over." Rune said, taking a step back.

"What will happen to-"Midnight asked but noticed her body started feeling light.

Midnight's body started slowly turning transparent. moving from her legs up, her body was fading away.

"What's happening?" Dusk asked.

"In her weakened state, she can't maintain her grip on this time." Rune answered. "So she's going back to her own time."

"I can't believe I lost." Midnight sighed, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I guess I really am-"

Rune cut her off by giving her a close hug. Midnight was surprised by this but accepted it, hugging Rune back.

"No matter what you did today, nor what you will become." Rune said, holding Midnight closely. "I'm still proud that you're my daughter and I'm happy I met you."

The tears couldn't stop flowing from Midnight's eyes. She couldn't remember the last time she felt so welcomed, so loved.

"Before you go." Rune asked. "I must know, who it the mother?"

Midnight's body was almost completely gone. She looked Rune straight in the eye and smiled. "There was no mother."

"What does that mean?!" Rune asked.

Midnight's response was only a giggling laugh. Her body fully dissipated into the air, Midnight was now gone. There was a silence, no pony knew what to say.

"DUSK!!!!" Shouted a voice, followed by the sounds of other voices.

Landing besides Dusk was Captain Armor and Captain Nightwing, along with several day and night guards.

"Armor?" Dusk asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"That weird ass fog around Canterlot vanished only an hour ago." Nightwing answered.

"We found Princess Celestia in the fog and her first order was to see if everypony was alright." Armor answered.

"What about Luna, Gemini and the others?" Rune asked, his eyes still fixed on where Midnight was only a moment ago.

"They're safe Runey." Nightwing answered. "Celestia also ordered that we're to bring you back to Canterlot, she wants to know what happened."

"Let's go." Armor said, only to see Rune pass out on the ground.

"Shit!" Nightwing shouted, running to Rune. "Help me get him up!"

.............................................................................................................................................................................

At Canterlot Dusk, Gemini, Luna and the other Elements of Harmony explained what happened to Celestia.

"I see." Celestia said. "So this Midnight stole the Nightmare Force from my sister in order to conquer Equestria."

"It would of appeared so." Luna answered. "But tis strange, with the Nightmare gone, we feel more...light.. no pain of sorrow clouds the back of our mind."

"So possibly Midnight's actions were a subtle blessing." Celestia suggested. "And you claim that the Nightmare Force is now trapped inside a crystal?"

"Here it is." Dusk said, presenting the crystal which was now pitch black.

"I will make sure this stone never falls into anypony hooves." Celestia proclaimed.

"But what about Rune?!" Luna asked. "He sacrificed his horn, mane and tail to help our victory."

"He is stable." Princess Cadence answered, walking into the room. "He's resting but I doubt he'll be able to cast magic ever again."

"There has to be something!" Applejack loudly stated.

"Yeah." The other mares replied.

"He gave up something he treasured to save us." Rarity said.

"Isn't there anything?" Trixie asked.

"Rest at ease everypony." Celestia said, getting up from her throne. "I will see Rune and see if there is anything I can do. I ask that you stay in Canterlot and wait for his recovery."

Celestia then left the room.

"What do you think she's gonna do?" Rainbow Dash asked aloud.

"We don't know." Luna responded. "Our sister knows magic even we refuse to know."

"The spell Rune used was one of Celestia's forbidden arrays." Gemini answered.

Everypony looked over at Gemini.

"Oh yes." Luna said, letting out her hoof. "We are glad that you were able to help. But we must ask-"

"There's not enough time." Gemini placed her hoof on Luna's mouth. "There isn't enough time."

Gemini's body was slowly fading away the same way Midnight's did.

"I'm happy." Gemini said, looking at everypony in  the room but subtly looked primarily at Dusk and Luna. "I'm happy I was able to see my parents."

Every mare in the room still assumed she was the mother, even Luna questioned why this mystery mare strangely looked like her. Gemini's body faded away in the air and the room became quiet.

"Hey every pony!" Shouted a voice.

Everypony looked over at the doorway and saw a smiling Rune, with a short spiky brown mane, a short brown tail and a fully restored horn. Behind him was a satisfied and happy Celestia.

"RUNE!!!???" Everypony shouted in surprise.

"But how?" Dusk asked.

"You lost your horn to that ritual!" Luna stated.

"Even I couldn't heal you!" Cadence loudly said.

"I was able to restore him." Celestia said. "Since the spell he used was one of my spells, I knew how to restore what he paid."

"But that doesn't-" Some of the Mane Sex tried to asked.

"It's better not to ask." Rune said. "I don't know about you....but I'm starving...who wants? My treat!"

After a little convincing, everypony agreed and left with Rune. The only ones left in the room was Celestia, Cadence and Luna.

'We still do not understand.' Luna thought. 'This Rune is slightly different that the Rune earlier. I can't sense any trace of the Nightmare Force he consumed inside him. Maybe we're over thinking this.'

.............................................................................................................................................................

When Celestia left the room she walked along the halls towards the medical wing.

"You can go." Celestia ordered her guards.

The guards nodded and left. Celestia walked into the room to see a resting Rune.

"I must admit." Celestia praised Rune. "I almost feared this wouldn't of worked."

"Not my fault you asked something I thought I couldn't do." Answered "Midnight" as she walked out of a corner of the room.

"Wasn't that bad." "Gemini" replied, walking behind Midnight.

"So everypony is still talking to the fake Gemini?" Celestia asked.

"Yep" Gemini replied, her coat, mane, tail and everything else washed away revealing Twilight Shine. "Get rid of that Rune, Rune it's creepy."

"Kill joy." Midnight, whose features washed away to reveal the real Rune.

With a flick of his horn, the Rune in the bed shattered in a shower of lights and flickering lights.

"So everything went according to plan?" Celestia asked.

"Of course." Twilight responded.

"Yeah. I'm amazed how believable this illusion worked." Rune stated. "Do you know how hard it was just to get this started? Thanks again for maintaining the illusion while you were 'in that fog'."

"It's the least I could do." Celestia replied. "Through this we were able to purify my dear sister of the Nightmare that claimed her all those centuries ago."

"But was this really the only way to do this?" Twilight asked.  "I mean all this lying and illusions. Couldn't we of just pulled it from her?"

"I wish there was an easier way." Celestia sighed. "If we didn't try this method, we wouldn't be perfectly sure we took away all of the Nightmare."

Twilight nodded with a smile and left the room. Rune turned ans slowly made his way to the door.

"I must ask though." Rune asked. "I may of created the illusion, but why did you choose that as an illusion. I can see Dusk having a kid, but why give me a kid." He started laughing a little. "I'll never have a kid."

As Rune made his way out the room Celestia slowly followed behind. Her thoughts went back to a scrying she did a few weeks ago.

After Rune was declared "Arch-Mage" Celestia was curious and looked into her large crystal ball so see his possible future. There she saw a smiling Rune holding a black unicorn filly. She could faintly hear the filly say "I love you daddy." and Rune responding "I love you too Midnight."