Chapter 23

The Elements of Harmony

A thick fog swallowed the four Alicorns up as they fell deeper into the canyon. Celestia lost sight of Luna as nothing but endless grey surrounded them. She heard something below them hit solid ground with a earth shattering crunch. Still the two sisters continued their dive. The wind whistled past their ears as their acceleration increased. Celestia couldn’t go on forever, she had to pull out of her dive! Begrudgingly she opened her wings and felt a huge burst of pain as her speed began to drop. The pain was too much for her! She closed her left wing and her body fell and fell until she hit the bottom with a much weaker impact than expected. She had pulled out of her dive just in time, but what about Luna? No, She has to be alright! She has too. Standing up, she made her horn glow, providing her with a way to see. The Fog was still thick and showed no sign of parting. Her hoofs clopped against the solid ground as she began her search.

“Luna?” she called out.

No answer.

“Luna?” she tried again, this time her voice shook a little.

In the distance she could see something big. As she approached it, she could make out that it was part of the platform that had shattered upon impact.

“They must be around here somewhere,” she thought to herself. “Please, let them be ok. Let them be...”

The light from her horn hit something else. This time she saw with a shaking sigh of relief the dark blue coat of her little sister. She was sitting with her back facing her.

“Luna! Thank goodness! I lost you for a bit back there! I… Luna?”

As she drew closer to the moon Princess she saw that her ears were lowered and her gaze was fixed on something a couple feet away from her. It was as if time itself was slowing down. Celestia’s light hit two things lying across from each other. With the realization of horror sinking in, she knew what she was staring at, but she didn’t want to believe it. Lying just feet away from them was the King and Queen of Canterlot. Their only good wings covered up their lower halves like a feathery blanket. Their mouths were slightly open and their eyes closed as if they were only sleeping. The long manes that once gave the impression of flowing without the wind brushing against them lied perfectly still.

“H-Hey!” Celestia said approaching the immobile bodies. “Mom, dad?”

Night Shade and Star Bright didn’t respond. Celestia sunk down next to her father While Luna shakily walked over to their mother.

“Come on guys, enough lying around. We have a job to do right? Discord is back! If we don’t stop him he’ll take over the kingdom! Hey!...”

Celestia reached out a hoof giving her father a slight nudge. His body moved over slightly but fell back into place. Celestia cleared her throat.

“He’s ignoring me Luna,” she said with a weak smile. Her voice was starting to crack. “Leave it to dad right?”

Luna didn’t reply. She only stared at their parent’s. Celestia tried to wake her father again, but nothing happened. Celestia felt the tears coming. She swallowed, not wanting to except the truth. Finally she couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“Dad, Mom, please!” she moaned. “Big sister Aurora can’t face Discord alone! We can’t face him alone!”

Despite her please, she knew that her mother and father and gone where they couldn’t fallow. She heard Luna’s muffled voice as she too began talking to their mother.

“Come on guys, we have to save Equestria again! Just like last time remember? It took all of us to save everpony! No, no, no! You can’t do this to us! You can’t! You can’t leave us!”

Behind them, Scorpan appeared. He lowered himself on one knee and bowed his head. Luna lowered her head as silent tears ran down her face. Celestia went over to her and made to place a comforting hoof on her shoulder. Luna jerked away.

“Scorpan I know you’re there,” Celestia said unable to feel anything as she fought to stay strong for her sister and more importantly, for herself. “Take mother and father with you. They can’t be left here. Luna, Equestria needs us! We have to find the tree!”

“The tree?” Luna said waspishly.

“Yes, the one that father wanted us to find! The one from the story he used to tell us! I think it’s the same tree that has been fighting off the Defiler and Discord’s magic! Luna, I need you with me on this! I can’t do it alone!”

Luna didn’t move. Once more Celestia reached out her hoof. This time, Luna spun around and broke down in her big sisters chest. Celestia wrapped her arms around her little sister and held her close.

“H-hey now!” Celestia said, her eyes watering. “Don’t break down on me n-now W-we g-got a job to d-do! Big sister Aurora wi-will need us!”

Luna continued to weep. Celestia tightened her grip allowing her sister to return the motion. Her shoulder began to shake and in no time she finally let go and allowed her tears to fall. Scorpan had found the King and Queen’s crowns but didn’t dare to interrupt the sisters grieving. He too was crying silent tears. Finally, Luna’s grip loosened and she let go of her big sister. They looked into each other’s reddened eyes. With one last look at their parents, the two approached Scorpan who sniffed as he looked up at them.

“You can get them out of here, can you?” asked Celestia.

“I- I will do what ever I can to aid you two in stopping Discord!” he said in a croaky voice.

There was a fire in the two princesses eyes. They had to reach the tree and gain its power! Celestia smiled down at the beast giving him a nod of approval. After he stood up to begin his task, she and Luna left him behind to go find the one thing that was their last hope in defeating Discord. Their horns glowed as they searched around the bottom of the canyon. It felt like they had wondered around for hours until at long last they found it. A cave was just made visible by their light. They galloped inside and were greeted by a strong sense of magical power. The two ventured forward, not sure what else would be waiting for them on the other side. At the end of the tunnel they saw what looked like a dead tree, but as they pressed forward the more it took on ragged shapes. Their mouths fell open as they entered the chamber. It was small. Mini waterfalls fell from the ceiling forming a river that ran down the cracks in the floor. The stream lead to a rooted mass at the center of the small isolated chamber. There it was, Standing alone on a little rock island. Its purple and blue bark sparkled when the light of their horns hit it.

It was as if it was made more out of solid crystal than wood and yet it was shaped like a weeping willow. Its roots ran down the island where it had dug deep into the floor below water. Fireflies danced around it, drifting peacefully without a care in the world. Celestia and Luna approached the edge of the small pond forming around the tree. Stepping inside the water sent an icy chill down their spines as they dared to cross over to the island.

“So, now what?” asked Luna still gaping at the tree. “Is there something here we have to take or a spell we have to cast?”

“I don’t know,” said Celestia just as mesmerized as her sister. “What’s this?”

She had spotted three symbols that ran up the trees trunk. A crescent moon and single star were at the very bottom followed by a sun. Lastly was what looked like a large star that blinked sending light to each of its tips. The light then spread to all the branches that stretched out. At the end of each was what looked like more crystals that dangled down shining brightly in the darkness. However, at the top of the tree and on four of its expanding branches, there was what looked like five different colored emeralds. The two on the left were pink and blue. The two on the right were orange and purple and at the top was a single red one. The light from the tree died out and Celestia thought she saw a sixth emerald inside the center of the star. She had no idea what made her do it, but in the next second, she found herself flying up to the star of the tree.

“Um, Celestia?” asked Luna from below. “What are you doing?”

Celstia aimed her horn at the star and shot a beam of yellow light at it. There was flash of bright light, Celestia’s horn was still glowing a ghostly yellow color. The emeralds obeyed her command as one by one they left their branches and hovered in front of her. Even the fireflies seemed to be drawn to the princess’s magic.

“Is that it?” asked Luna who also flew up to investigate. “Are you sure we can just take them? If the tree is what’s been keeping all this dark magic at bay for this long, then what will happen to it once we take these things away from it?”

“This tree,” began Celestia feeling the power of the trees magic flow through her. “The Tree of Harmony I mean. It has enough magic in it to survive without these.”

“How do you know?” asked Luna, who also started to feel her injured wing being healed by the trees power.

“I don’t,” replied Celestia softly. “But I have a feeling that it wants us to take these from it.”

She levitated the Emeralds to her sister who took two of them and eyed them carefully. Just then, the star at the center of the tree opened up and a sixth pink emerald shaped like miniature star floated out and joined the rest. When Celestia took it, the hole in the bark had closed.

“Yes,” she said to Luna. “It want’s us to have them. Luna, this is it! This is how we can defeat Discord! We must use these!”

“You think so?” said Luna a sense of determination and need for revenge started to show in in her eyes. “Good! I can’t wait to put these things to good use on him! What are they anyway?”

“According to legend, these six emeralds are the Elements of Harmony,” said Celestia. “But we have to get one thing straight Luna,”

“Really? What’s that?’

“We will use these to stop Discord, but… We mustn’t use them to destroy him!”

Silence took over the cave for a good five seconds before Luna finally spoke.

“Your kidding right?” she questioned her sister. “You can’t be serious!”

“Luna, I…”

“Do you have any idea what that despicable creature out there has done!? What he intends to do if we don’t put an end to him once and for all!”

“Luna…”

“Scorpan warned us about this last time but we allowed Discord to leave! And because of us he’s taken over the kingdom! Because of our mistake mom and dad are gone!”

Celestia stared at her little sister. Her thirst for revenge was perfectly clear. She too wanted to get Discord back for what he did, but to destroy him didn’t feel right. The Elements were supposed to be used to keep the powers of dark magic at bay, but to actually cause harm even destroy the one behind the darkness didn’t sit well with her. Luna glared up at her. She understood how she felt, but she had to make a decision here and now.

“Luna,” she said at last. “I know how you feel, but we cannot use the Elements of Harmony to destroy Discord!”

Luna opened her mouth to retort but Celestia raised her hoof for silence.

“We will use the Elements to defeat Discord, but he will not be allowed to escape this time!”

Luna fell silent, taking in what had just been said. She didn’t like her sister’s plan, but at the same time, she couldn’t think of a good argument to defy her.

“Luna, I can’t do this without you,” said Celestia softly. “Do you think mom and dad would want us to destroy Discord?”

“How could you ask that?” demanded Luna alarmed.

“Because I think they wouldn’t want us to go down the same path as Discord just for them.”

When Luna didn’t answer Celestia pressed on.

“I need you to trust me Luna. I promise, Discord will not get away this time! He will pay for what he’s done!”

Luna looked back up at her big sister and saw that she meant every word. There was no way that Discord would get away with his crimes this time.

“Alright Celestia, I trust you,” she said with a weak smile.

“Thank you Luna,” Celestia said relieved and together they started their way out of the cave. “Now that that’s settled, how do we get back into Ponyville without being spotted by Discord?”

“Discord is only one of our problems,” said Luna darkly. “I think he’ll have other puppets under his control. We need to even the odds! If the guards haven’t been taken by him, I’m sure we can round them up and lead them into battle!”

“Ok,” said Celestia nodding in agreement. “But how are we going to get back to Canterlot without being seen?”

Before Luna could answer an unearthly cry met their ears. The fog outside the cave hadn’t cleared. Turning their attention upward they saw a bright orange light coming toward them. Celestia’s eyes widened in surprise as the Pheonix she was looking after circled above them. She cried out again before she landed on Celestia’s back.

“You again?” said Celestia to the firebird. “How did you get out of the castle?”

“I got to say Celestia,” came a voice from the fog. “Your pet has to be the cleverest bird I have ever met!”

Celestia and Luna turned to where the voice was coming from. Through the fog came two of their friends. Wind Chime and Tock. Tock’s horn was glowing while Wind Chime hovered above him.

“I thought you got out with the rest of Ponyville!” said Celestia taken aback by the unexpected duo.

“Honestly,” said Wind Chime waving her hoof impatiently. “You didn’t think we would stand by and let you two save Equestria by yourselves! Come on, everyone else is waiting for us!”

“We?” Questioned Luna.

Tock snorted in response. “Really now Luna, What would you two do with out us?”