War of Immortals

by Lord Sylus of Night

First published 15th of March, 2015

(Once called "To Face Eternity") A story where Twilight learns what it means to fall and beg her the question, how far will she go to be with her friends so she does not have to face eternity alone?

With the fall of Tirek, ushers in a new chapter in the life and mind of Twilight Sparkle. Of whom is being heralded as the new face of Equestria. Now officially the ruler of Ponyville with Mayor Mare being made mayor of Manehattan. All seems well and good, but there is just something that Twilight just can't shake.

It becomes clear to Twilight that she could be immortal. And if she is how could she live with herself knowing that she would out live ALL of her friends. Especially the one friend she holds a special place in her heart, Fluttershy. With all of this in mind, Twilight wants to consider all of her options and see for herself what she can do with her powers to try and break the cycle of normality.

Twilight will do anything for her friends, even if they are the only ones left in a world of ashes...

Tagged anthro. Do not worry they only walk on two legs

If You Only Knew

"Thank you Princess." Twilight bowed graciously before her mentor and teacher Princess Celestia, her final thank you to her last guest for her crowning as ruler of Ponyville, before she retired upstairs. Sauntering up the stairs to her new bedchambers, the decor glinting a soft baby blue as her new crystal castle. The tapestry of Equestria long ago hung high on the walls. A smile came upon Twilight's face as she realized the gravitation of this honor, with the slight rehash of what she had recently been through. Their celebration of Tirek being banished away back to Tartarus turned into the shift from leadership of Ponyville. For so long Twilight has awaited a moment such as this, when she would be granted right of leadership of Ponyville. Not that she wanted Mayor Mare removed from the seat of Ponyville, but Twilight just expected this. It was only inevitable.

The night was filled with various snacks, games, and discussions as she bathed in the joy of one of her favorite parts of being in Ponyville. Pinkie's parties. These were something to behold and one has not lived until they fully witnessed one of Pinkie's parties. Twilight even wrote a book about it, with early critical acclaim by the Equestrians. Called, "Parties of a Brighter Pink" a synopsis and in depth study of Pinkie's parties and what it is like. Twilight had a hard time doing that, describing how being in one of Pinkie's parties was like. It was unlike anything Twilight has ever witnessed for herself. It was like the first breath of life from a new born filly. The smell of the first breeze of the Spring. The soft glow of auroras in the north. The warmth of the dawning rays of the day. It was a sensational feeling of unending bliss and happiness. Twilight only feels like this one other time. And that is being around Fluttershy.

The way her soft pink mane hangs down, the way she looked around with her innocent blue eyes, the shimmer and sheen of her soft yellow coat. Again, it was unlike anything Twilight has felt before. Bus she kept her feelings to herself, for she feared what her other friends would think of her and what Fluttershy might think of her. Sure they were friends and would share everything together, but somethings were meant to be kept beneath herself. Plus, she had no idea how to act on her feelings. She had no idea how to express herself. She never felt like this towards another pony.

Twilight found her bedchambers and stepped onto her balcony and sat back in her chair as she looked blissfully at the night sky above her. The sparkling stars and the shining pale light of the moon bathing her in its friendly glow. Her well groomed lavender coat stippled in the light flowing breeze of the summer night. Twilight nestled and sunk into her full body chair as she gently closed her glimmering violet eyes. Distantly she could hear the ruckus of Pinkie's party beneath her elevated hooves, the sounds slightly vibrating the chair she lied upon in the balcony of her castle. All of Ponyville celebrated that night, and they had every reason to do so.

The lavender princess arched her back and stretched her hooves above her head, stretching out her wings as well. A casual breath releasing from her closed lips as she felt her muscles settle back down. Holding the powers of all the Alicorns was not easy and was sore to her body and to her mind. She was brought to an elevated position of power and felt power unbelieving and far beyond the imagination of anypony. Her body had grown used to the powerful magic running through her that it forgot how to last with just her magic, which she had done years of studying to perfect and to master anything and everything about magic. She felt unable to move she was so tired, but she opened her eyes briefly to see who breached the threshold of the thin glass door she had previously shut and ushered onto the balcony.

Stepping into the soft light of the moon that now was hidden behind a thin blanket of clouds was Fluttershy. She had a casual look about her and her mane cut a little bit shorter, now only going down to the bottom of her neck. Her hoofsteps almost giving no sound as she smiled and said, "I hope you don't mind that I join you."

Twilight loved the sound of her voice. It was so soft and so kind that she just felt like melting into pudding, but she kept herself casual as she politely answered, "Not at all Fluttershy."

Fluttershy wiped a strand of her mane out of her eyes and gazing up at the stars, standing tall on her two hooves. She wore a thin wavy dress, something specially made by Rarity. The only piece of functional see through ware that Twilight has ever seen. It was stitched and made in a mature way, not too revealing but got the job done right. Twilight watched as Fluttershy took a seat next to Twilight. Fluttershy settled in nicely, matting down her dress as she rested softly in her chair.

Fluttershy continued to stare up at the stars and she said with a quiet and uttered tone, "Wow...It's beautiful out here."

Twilight mouthed out a yawn and responded, "(yawn)...yeah, Luna has outdone herself tonight."

Fluttershy softly giggled and said knitting an eyebrow at Twilight, "Tired?"

Twilight answered laying her head back and in a jubilacious tone, "You try taking down an immortal being with the combined magic of the Alicorns and to have it sucked away from you, then let's see if you're not tired."

They shared a round of laughter. Twilight opened her eyes and looked over at her yellow coated pegasus friend, raising her head and resting her hooves behind her head leaning her head against them, "So...how has it been with Discord?"

Fluttershy kept a slight smile with a gentle breeze passing over her, "Discord has agreed that we need to get some air from each other. That way he can learn more about friendship and so I can relieve a little bit of stress."

Twilight smiled and said joyously, "It's about time that he stopped staying cooped up in your cottage."

Fluttershy laughed, a sound that Twilight was not soon about to forget. Twilight was glad that she grew from the secluded Fluttershy to a more open and more social Fluttershy. She smiled more often, which made Twilight smile. She still had a lot of the innocent traits that showed often but she was just more comfortable around other ponies. Twilight smiled at that thought and looked over as Fluttershy asked, "Okay now let me ask you something. How does it feel...being the new ruler of Ponyville and all?"

Twilight looked back up at the stars, more specifically at the Beard of Starswirl constellation. A common constellation she would find comfort and peace from. And she answered, "To be honest with you Fluttershy, I appreciate the attention. I feel like I am needed and that I am an important figure of Equestria. But, I also feel like I was being a little egotistical earlier. I wanted the attention and I wanted to be looked at as somepony who is important. But now that I'm thinking back on it, I just want to be the local librarian again learning the values of friendship."

Fluttershy smiled as she listened to the explanation from one of her closest friends and chided keeping the smile, "We all have to face change sometimes in our life. Whether that is if we like it or not, we have to play the hand we have been dealt."

Twilight smiled and looked over at her friend asking, even though she already knew the answer to the question, "Who told you that?"

Fluttershy looked directly at Twilight with the affable and adorably innocent look she is so famous for and her warm words came out like syrup on pancakes, "A good friend."

Twilight melted internally to those words. Twilight said the same exact thing to Fluttershy when she discovered her parents had died. That was the day Twilight's hidden love for Fluttershy solidified for Twilight. She never wanted to see Fluttershy like that ever again. It was more than Twilight could bear, a secret kept between the two of them. Something so close that it would be a sin to repeat it to somepony else. Twilight's face went emotionless as she thought back to that day until she came back and asked, "So. Why aren't you celebrating with the others?"

Fluttershy laughed and responded, "I would ask you the same thing Twilight. You are the guest of honor."

Twilight cracked a smile and said, "I'm hardly a guest of honor, I am above nopony."

Fluttershy stood up shaking her head and went to leave but before she left she said, "I think that's what makes you who you are Twilight. Your humility. Are you coming?"

"I think I'll rest up here," Twilight said closing her eyes, "Tell the girls I said hi."

And with that and a shut of the crystal door. Twilight looked back up at the stars and she listened to the steady and melodic thrum of the party just beneath her hooves. Her eyes drifted shut as she succumbed to the peace of sleep.

"Well if it is none other than little miss perfect."

"Hello? Who's there?"

"I am offended that you do not remember the voice of the pony you destroyed. The pony that you crushed like an ant beneath your horseshoe. Use that brain I know you have."

"I don't-" Twilight said but stopped herself as she realized who it was she was talking to. She knew that voice anywhere.

"I'll take it that by the abrupt silence, you figured it out."

Twilight cursed the name as it came out of her lips, "Nightmare Moon."

Twilight's vision opened up and she stood on the spot she suspected she would be. She stood on the spot where she expelled Nightmare Moon from Princess Luna. The still cold air from that day whaffed across her and chilled her to the bone. Twilight stood tall and proud as she anticipated to soon see Nightmare Moon. The cold stone floors were dark and tried to fill her with its former sense of fear and dread. But she disregarded the fear and dread. She had faced so many darknesses that this was nothing compared to what she had been through. The foul stench of moss and moldew still fresh in her nostrils.

Twilight heard the harsh tone of Nightmare Moon curse, "Hard to think that a pony as weak and as spineless as you would grow to become a princess."

Twilight clenched her hooves and felt her magic surge through her veins as she threatened, "Why are you here Nightmare Moon? How are you here?"

Twilight watched as the shadows that lied across the floor moved and collected into a pile where they rose up and materialized into Nightmare Moon. Her armor gone, just a tall jet black alicorn mare with bright aquamarine eyes. Her pupils slits like those of a feline. She smiled showing her white rows of daggers as she said, "Dearie, you know that you can't fully be rid of nightmares. Don't you?"

Twilight felt Nightmare Moon try to use her magic when Twilight countered that and said harshly, "I am the one in control here. And I will not ask again. Why. Are. You. Here?"

Twilight slammed her hoof and a small quake came forth, her eyes flashing bright purple. Nightmare Moon kept her smile and stepped forward, "My my. So confident and demanding for power. Truly a mare to be respected and loved. Perhaps for centuries to come."

Twilight moved her hoof back as she asked still in a harsh tone, "What do you mean?"

Nightmare Moon laughed and half turned into mistful shadows and began to encircle Twilight as she explained, "Have you not stopped to wonder the extent of your powers? Have you not wondered why you were capable of holding so much immortal power beneath you?"

"Yeah, I am the Spirit of Magic-"

"That is nothing more than mortal beliefs. Not really your magic, more of tapping into the font of Starswirl's magic. But honestly Twilight, you have to know that sooner or later you should figure it out already. I actually expected you to already know."

"My patience is wearing thin, Nightmare Moon." Twilight growled. If there was one mare on the entire planet that could get under her skin, it was Nightmare Moon.

Nightmare Moon squealed with excitement, "My Twilight. So dominant, you really know how to please a mare. But come on lets be honest, you know what I'm talking about."

Nightmare Moon stopped in front of her and leaned in real close, Twilight feeling the cold breath of Nightmare Moon cascading across Twilight's face as Nightmare Moon whispered darkly, "Immortality."

Twilight felt the cogs turn and her eyes grew wide. She knew what Nightmare Moon was implying. No, she did not believe it. She was not immortal. She could not be, she was supposed to live out the final days of her life with her best friends. She was not supposed to outlive her friends. She couldn't. Nightmare Moon leaned back and spread her hooves out and said, "And so she realizes her greatest fear."

She stepped back, her knees buckling and shaking. She kept her gaze away from Nightmare Moon and said, "No...no-no that's-that's not true...you're lying."

Nightmare Moon flowed closer to her and said, "Now Twilight Sparkle, it is not polite to accuse somepony of lying when it is not true. I expected you of all ponies to know that. But no, I am not afraid that it is true."

She stressed the not in her sentence. Twilight's chest felt heavy and her mind felt like it was breaking itself away. She could barely breath. This was not supposed to happen, she was supposed to die with her friends. How could she handle not dying and her friends all dying off? Twilight looked back at Nightmare Moon and growled, "So your purpose was to tell me this? How am I supposed to know if you aren't lying?"

Nightmare Moon gave a cruel smile and leaned in, her form and the land around her began to fade. The last words she said to Twilight were, "Every hero needs a nemesis. And why would I lie to my nemesis? It makes the victories all the more sweeter."

Twilight shot her eyes open and swiftly stood up. Breathing heavily and her magic flowing out of her horn ready to cast a spell. She looked around and she began to control her breathing, and her magic slowly died back into her mind. Twilight thought carefully to herself. She very well knew that this was no mere nightmare, this was a specific section of the Nexus that Nightmare Moon used to show and tell her this. A certain part of the Nexus that Alicorns go to. It works differently than the normal space used by regular ponies. It usually shows visions of the world around them, tells something of the future, or shows a series of images as omens of what is to come. If Twilight was a betting mare, that was an interpretation of the future.

That was hard to decipher and to make it into something. She pressed her hooves against her head and thought, what if it was true? She had been so adamant to believing a single word of what Nightmare Moon said. But what if she was right? What would she do? Would she tell her friends that she would outlast them all? Would she keep it a secret and let it stay sequestered beneath her? So many possibilities. She heard a shuffle of claws scraping against the floor and knew that Spike was close by. She thought quickly and stood up ordering Spike's attention, "Spike!"

"Yeah Twilight?"

"I need you to send a quick message to Princess Celestia," Twilight said as she stretched out her wings, getting ready to lift off, "Tell her that I have some questions that need answers. I'm coming to Canterlot."

Twilight looked and saw Spike scribbling away on the parchment and finally inhaled deeply and breathed forth green flames that engulfed around the parchment as it whisked away into nothingness, soon to plop down in front of Princess Celestia. Twilight smiled and looked back up at the sky and she said, "That will be all Spike, you can go to Rarity's until I come back."

Spike scampered off and gave her a quick thanks. Twilight smiled and focused back at the blue sky above her. It was clear and the sun's rays offered no solace for her at that moment. She needed answers and she would get them. Twilight remembered back to those flying lessons Rainbow Dash had taught her. She bent her knees and with all the might she could muster she jumped into the air and began to beat her wings as fast as she could propel them. She soared through the sky at a surprising speed, a speed that she was not really used to but one that felt like instinct. Her wings beating fast as clouds and sky raced past her and she set her gaze to Canterlot below her.

She dove down and remembered back to a lesson Rainbow Dash had told her and back to a book she had read, 'Aerodynamics and Why They Are Your Friend' a good and simple read. She slowed the beating of her wings, trying to go in for a softer landing. As the white surface flooring of the castle came closer and closer into view she began to worry. She panicked and before she hit the ground she blinked out of existence for a second and reappeared at the door to Princess Celestia's room, a place only a chosen few ponies could enter. Twilight stood up and rested a hoof on her head as she told herself, "Note to self: Practice landings."

Now she had a first hoof understanding on why Rainbow Dash always smashed through roofs. She was obviously not good at landing softly. Rainbow Dash is careful when she wants to be, just not when she is flying. Twilight got lucky that she did not cause anymore damage than what was done, the staff of Canterlot Castle was still cleaning up the mess left behind by Tirek. But that did not stop the familiar grandeur of the castle to fill Twilight with a sense of longing. The tapestries of Equestrian design, the decor that told of old tales from long ago, the purest of white granite stone softly clicking as she stepped closer to the large oaken door that bore the insignia of Princess Celestia. A blazing sun made from gold.

Twilight gently rapped on the door, trying not to cause a loud noise to either wake up her teacher or scare her. She heard her soft voice on the otherside of the door declare, "Come in."

Twilight opened the door softly and peeked her head in. She looked around the lightly decorated chambers of Princess Celestia. Very light purple stone to cover the walls and floor of the room. A large bed to her left filled with silks and velvets of who knows how expensive they are. She looked back over and saw Princess Celestia sitting on a large pillow on the far side of the room. Her legs tucked underneath her and the familiar gentle golden aura enveloping both her long horn and on some of the scattered papers on the floor. She had an air of motherly kindness about her at all times of the day, just looking at the back of her reminded her of an awaiting mother for their child to ask her something. Ever vigilant to offer wisdom and guidance.

Her head slightly turned, seeing Twilight peek her head in. She beamed a warm smile turning to meet Twilight and said warmly, "My most faithful student, please come in and have a seat."

Twilight walked in, her condition worse than she thought. There was no emotion to her steps as she opened the door and walked in, closing the door behind her. Celestia grabbed another large pillow with her magic. A gentle and ghost of a smile coming to Twilight's face as she remembered the many nights and days she spent just talking to her mentor. Twilight finally sat down on the pillow, a casual stance as she sat opposite of Celestia. Celestia's smile died a little bit as she asked, "I have received your letter, Twilight. I must say that I am surprised at the sense of urgency. What is it that troubles you?"

Twilight kept her gaze on Celestia as she tried to translate her thoughts into words. Twilight bit back her lip as she showed inner turmoil within her soul. She woefully explained, "I...I just got a recent vision. It had me and Nightmare Moon, we were talking and exchanging words. But, the conversation was on the topic of me being immortal like you and Luna."

Twilight rubbed the back of her forehoof and continued, "I don't want to trust a word that she says but, I can't shake the feeling that she might be right."

Celestia released a sigh, her face showing that she completely understood her situation. She said in a distant tone, "I know the problem you face, Twilight Sparkle. I had the same situation given to me. I had to face the facts that I am immortal, and that my friends would all...die and I would not. But I had my sister so I would not go through eternity alone."

She sat up taller and continued, "My original intention for you was to keep you a mortal, so you could live and die with your friends. But as you might know destinies can change. Though I do not know for sure, and I do not wish to test the theory, you very well might be immortal."

Twilight had a sneaking suspicion at such, nor was she willing to test the theory. But how could she live through life not knowing if she would die or not? How could she live through the unknown? It was a strange and hurtful feeling that Twilight never felt before. Twilight began to lower her head in her crossed hooves when she saw out of the corner of her eye somepony enter the room and announced, "Okay, the kitchen was fresh out of sugar so I had to run to the store to-oh hello my little Sparkle!"

Twilight looked and saw her mother charging through the room and barreling towards her. With a joyous wide smile plastered on her face, beaming with jubilation. Twilight Velvet hugged her daughter tightly and said, "Oh it has been so long since I have seen you and Shiny! How has my little Sparkle been doing?"

A ghost of a smile tugged at her lips and said neutrally, "I'm doing fine."

Twilight felt the warm embrace stop. Twilight stared at the eyes of her mother who rested her hooves on Twilight's shoulders and asked in a serious tone, "Twilight. What's wrong?"

Twilight noticed that her mother's composure transfixed into the same composure as Celestia's, the composure of a vigilant mother and who is ready to offer wisdom. She knew she could not escape the situation from her mother, it was nearly impossible. Twilight sighed and replied, "I just...I might be immortal...and I don't know how I can be who I am without my friends. I can't go through an eternity without my friends."

Twilight felt moisture in her eyes and Twilight Velvet pulled her in for another hug and said rubbing her hoof soothingly on her back, "It'll be okay Twilight."

Her mother pushed her away and they stared at each other, Twilight Velvet said wiping a single tear that fell from her eye, "I am not one who is smart when it comes to immortality or magic, but what I do know is this: All things must end. Both good and bad. While you might be immortal in age, you might not be invincible. It could take ten years or a hundred thousand years until your death, but you will join your friends. Soon."

Twilight watched as her mother grew darker and the area around them peeled back into shadows. Twilight tried pulling herself free from the hooves of the pony opposite of her. Her mother's form melted away as it finished its explanation, its voice changing into Nightmare Moon's. A maddening look came across the melting form of her mother, a deep billowing laughter coming out of her, her form changing into Nightmare Moon.

The laughing subsided and her vision went dark as she heard Nightmare Moon say, "The power of the hero can only be measured by the strength of her enemy."

Twilight shot herself awake, sitting up with short ragged breaths. She refocused and felt a soothing hoof on her shoulder and a soft feminine voice ask her, "Twilight, are you okay?"

Twilight looked to the source of the voice and saw Fluttershy kneeling at her side. The morning rays of dawn just beginning to peek above the horizon, the soft cool purples and pinks dancing across the sky. The beginning rays dancing across the surface of Fluttershy's face, amplifying her beauty in Twilight's eyes. Twilight shook her head pressing a hoof to it and said, "Yes...I just...had a bad dream."

Fluttershy did not seem reassured with the look on her face. Twilight knew that she could not withhold anything from her, being as long of friends as they were. No hidden secrets. Fluttershy offered a gentle hoof on her cheek and asked tenderly, "Twilight. What's wrong?"

Twilight released a sigh, visibly showing her inner strife on her face. Twilight answered, "I...I have just been worried about something...it's been bugging me for a long time."

Fluttershy sat down next to her and listened to her friend with a helpful but wary gaze, "You know that with my recent acension that I have to take on more duties as a princess. Wearing a crown. Protecting the ponies of Equestria. And being there for my friends..."

Her tone trailed off a bit as she tried not to keep her gaze too high. Pain welling within her soul and her heart rising in her throat. She choked out, "...but one of those things I might not be able to do. We are the best friends, and I would follow you girls to hell and back. You know that."

"Twilight...-"

"But I might not be able to follow you through everything...I might not be able to fall with you girls."

"Twilight," Fluttershy slightly gasped as Fluttershy rested a wary hoof on her shoulder, "What are you saying?"

Twilight finally looked at Fluttershy in the eyes and said, "I might not be able to die with you."

Fluttershy added, "What is so wrong about that? This place needs you?"

Twilight shut her eyes hard and showed that there was obviously something else on her mind. Twilight wanted to spill her guts and empty her heart right there but something kept her. Fluttershy prodded, "Twilight tell me."

Tears escaped her eyes and she said, "I...I can't."

Fluttershy's voice broke and she said, "Twilight you're scaring me. Tell me what-"

"I love you Fluttershy!"

Fluttershy said, "Well of course Twilight-"

"No. Not as a friend." Twilight pressed a hoof to her forehead as she spilled everything out, "I am...infatuated with you Fluttershy. Ever since I saw you, I always loved you."

Her heart tied into a knot as she feared her friend's answer. She dreaded to think of her reaction, to think of what Fluttershy would think of her. Flustered Twilight said, "I'm sorry that I let my crush drag out this long. I should have told you sooner. Then I would not-Hmph!"

Twilight felt as Fluttershy grabbed her shoulders and pulled her in for a kiss. Twilight was surprised but she let the kiss sink in and after a few seconds Fluttershy pulled back and she said with a smirk, "Twilight, you talk too much sometimes. And you think too much. But its cute when you go off on your little tirades...to be honest I think I have been hiding feelings of my own for you."

Fluttershy offered a soft hoof in her mane and combed it through and said, "The color of your mane, your silk coat. You are...beautiful."

Fluttershy grabbed both her cheeks with her hooves and said, "I don't care if you are immortal or not. As long as I get to live a full life with you...it will be worth it. Like you said, to hell and back."

Twilight smiled and pulled Fluttershy in for a warm and loving hug. Not a hug amongst friends, but the silent embrace of lovers. Twilight almost lost herself in Fluttershy's hooves. Twilight rested her chin on her shoulder and nuzzled her gently, "I will always love you Fluttershy."

She whispered those words to quiet only she could hear them. Fluttershy returned the nuzzle and a for a few minutes they sat there and let out all of their feelings. As if a weight was lifting from their chests. Twilight never had a single thought like that. She never thought of her as being immortal. And she did not care if she was. As long as she loved Fluttershy was all that mattered.

To hell and back...

Gaze into the Eyes of a Nightmare

It was not hard for Luna to do any of this, it was not difficult at all. A simple wave of her horn and she can turn anypony's dreams into a spiralling nightmare. Luna stood proud and true inside the Nexus. The plane where all dreams exist and nopony else does, other than Luna and a handful of others that can control its waves. Luna took it to heart knowing that most of her ponies slept well and soundly, none having a dark nightmare.

Slowly but surely she was on the right path of regaining the trust of her faithful ponies. Some staying up late to look at Luna's nights. a spectacle that nopony had seen for a millennium. There was a lot more to bringing forth the night than just raising and lowering the moon, it is not like the sun. The sun warms and burns like a torch in a void of eternal darkness, all it does is burn eternally. While the moon reflects the suns brilliant rays, healing the land with its pale light and soothing the boiled earth. This was the spoils of the moon and stars, while Luna had no particular control over stars she could change a star's brightness and how far from Equus it really is.

Luna sighed as she remembered all the lessons that her father, Nox, had taught her. All those days and nights Luna had spent just to gain control of her source of mana. She knew her destiny and she will always remember that night where her father will tell her something that always resonated with Luna.

"You will always be the sun's shadow. You will always know that Celestia's sun will burn brighter than your moon ever will. You will always want to have a brighter light than her, but you will always know that it can never be as bright. But know that your moon is not alone, your moon is accompanied by billions and billions of allies and friends. Remember this Lulu, when your heart is darkest. You will always have stars to guide you."

That memory alone was the reason Luna was alive that day, that memory alone. If the path that she lead down went any longer and she did not have that memory then she would be nothing that day. She would be long dead. Nightmare Moon not only corrupts but she is sure to remove the former possessed mind. Her mind did not stay on this path, as it drifted back to her father. Her father had always been so wise and so caring of Luna and her sister. Nox was always kind and generous to others, despite his inheritance. But Luna had seen the truth long ago, he went down the same path that she did a long time ago. He was the nightmare before her. The things that he wished upon the ponies of Equestria were too dark and too terrible for a mortal or a goddess as young as she, to even begin to understand. Nox had warned her of the consequences she would get from listening to the dark stars and accepting their offer.

Luna shot her head up in attention, her eyes large and scanning the waves of the Nexus. She felt something rise in power and something spike through the roof. She moved her gaze over the spectral waves and saw a strand of one that was glowing a bright fiery orange. Luna stood up on her hind hooves and held her hooves out, the strand hovering over towards her. Luna scanned the strand up and down and with horror in her tone she whispered, "That's impossible..."

Luna choked back a lump as she heard a dark ominous feminine voice erupt the peace of the Nexus, You very well know that you cannot be rid of nightmares, Princess Luna.

That voice was all so familiar and caused Luna to crawl in her own skin. It was impossible, Luna saw with her own...

Your eyes deceived you, princess. You know the trials and tribulation of being rid of an immortal goddess. We are not easy to kill...

Luna felt her hooves start to warm up and the strand slowly rose in heat and it became white hot. Luna screamed as she could not get her hooves off of the dream strand. Her hooves burned and singed to the dream strand. She fell to her knees and cried out, her mind being forced into the strand. Her conscience ripped away from her and pushed into the strand.

Ten thousand years is a long time, princess of the night...still all too long in the eyes of an immortal...it is enough time to gather power and wait for the right time to ask the stars for escape.

No...they would never assist the likes of you... Luna hissed back.

But they helped you with your escape, Nightmare Moon...why would I be any different? The stars were given form so that they can even the balance...and I am here to break the balance...your stars are now nothing more than spinning balls of ash and dust.

No...It could not be true. The stars were...Luna sensed with every fibre of her being to try and sense the stars but felt only emptiness and void where the stars should have been. All those stars...gone...all those sources of power...destroyed. Luna fought back tears as she felt her mind vibrate and reverberate that corrupted voice throughout her mind,

Now you will see your precious Equestria reborn in the flames of my vengeance...

Luna shook her head violently and attempted to free herself from the magical reign that she had a hold of. Luna strained and used her magic over the Nexus to try and pull herself away from her but only succeeded at having a ripping sensation in her mind, feeling as though her mind was splitting itself apart. To make things worse, the heat and fire increased and steadily rose in speed. The white hot tongues that once only consumed her were now spreading out and wished to consume everything in its path. Luna's vision and conscious was still being pulled away from her and her vision spiralled into darkness as she was fully pulled away from the Nexus. Screaming as the flames shot her forth into pitch darkness, consuming her flesh and part of her soul. Screaming as she went sailing into the darkness.

"AAAAAAGGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!"

Luna screamed as she went sailing through blackness and opening her eyes, filled with the same heat and color as the tongues of flames that were attached to her. She watched as she saw a large orb of blue and green come screeching towards her...no, her towards it. The heat and flames intensified as she pierced through the veil that protected the planet. Even though Luna pushed with all of her magic from the magic fire from completely devouring her flesh, it still stung as it burned on her immortal skin.

Luna flinched as she shot through the sky and was now falling towards the planet. Luna's heart and soul sunk as she looked and what she saw she could not describe purely in words other than...

...Everything was burning...the countryside, the country, Equestria, Griffonia...everything...it was all burning into nothing but ash and dust. Luna strained her muscles and tried to fly or open her wings, anything to help lessen the impact. Nothing. Luna closed her eyes as she braced for the heavy impact. She clenched every fiery muscle as she slammed into the burning earth.

Everything hurt, she did not skid nor did she skip over the earth of Equus. She only slammed into. Every immortal bone in her body ached and pained. She struggled to her hooves, stepping hard on the charred debris that she once called her home. She looked around and everything was black and charred. Covered in soot and ash. The sky black and choked the life of the planet with its black smoke. Orange embers billowed ominously on the wind and rose and fall with no real purpose. The fires that wanted to consume her subsided, shrinking away leaving only smoke to billow off of her. Scorch marks filling all over her, patches of black on her midnight coat. Dust and ash gathering on her burned fur and skin, causing her to groan in pain. Luna struggled to support herself on her hooves and felt tears tear passed her eyes as she shouted, "Ailana! Enough of this madness! I...I do not want to see anymore..."

Her voice trailed off as she felt an influx of magic and knew who it would be to stand in front of her. Luna fluttered her ashen eyes open and looked up, despite her tightening muscles. A tall thin mare as pale as the snow, her mane and tail pure fire given the form of such mortal confides of beauty. Pale wings folded onto her and a long horn protruding from her head. Then there was the eyes. Smoke and ash billowing out of the corners and embers following close behind and finally evaporating into nothingness. Her eyebrows crooked and staring down angrily at Luna. This was Ailana, the Shepherd of Fire. Her cutie mark a yellow star being consumed by fire. Telling very well what she was good at.

Ailana growled, "You want me to stop? You want me to show mercy!? You want me to CEASE!"

Ailana took one of her hooves and gripped it hard around Luna's throat, choking her and raising her in the air. Luna struggled to try and break the strong grip around her throat to even give the slightest chance of opening her airways. But could not. Ailana shouted, "Where was mercy when you and your whore sister fought ME!!! When you and your sister thought you would try and stop me! I was never shown mercy, why should I give it?"

She stretched out her other hoof and said, "Look around you Luna. The ashes around you...that empty feeling inside...that is what I felt when you imprisoned me in that star...And now I am going to reduce Equestria to ashes because of you and your bitch sister! Be ready to fight ...your friendships will not save you from my fires!"

Luna strained and choked out, "But...you cannot live on Equestria without...a vessel?"

Ailana gave a cruel smile as she said, "You are smarter than you look Luna...yes you are correct...now I want you to think hard...who is the strongest wielder of magic on Equestria at this very moment?"

LUna thought for a minute or two. Who was the strongest wielder of magic on Equestria? Usually she would answer with Starswirl but he was long dead. She could not answer with Discord considering that Chaos could not be measured in power. Who...

"No..."

Ailana kept her cruel smile and said, "Yes...with the right push I can take over her mind and my mission complete...prepare for an upheaval, princess."

Ailana took Luna and smashed her head against the ground. Her conscious forcing back into her body.

Luna shot her head up in her bed and shouted, "Twilight!"

The Fallen Star Returns

"Princess Celestia!...Princess Celestia!...please you must come quick."

Celestia groaned as she heard her being beckoned by one of her ponies. Celestia scrunched her nose and said, "Not now Moon Dancer, there is still a few hours left before I raise the sun."

The hours of the day and night were different during the different seasons and Celestia had the Celestial Time Schedule memorized and down to the letter. Celestia had exactly three hours, twenty six minutes and forty seven seconds until she would need to wake up to raise the sun. If this pony was trying to do some sort of joke, Celestia was not laughing.

Though the pony did have a tone of urgency which bade Celestia to sit up in her bed. She wiped the crust from her eyes and asked, "What is it?"

Celestia tossed away her comforter and sat at the edge of her bed, stretching out her hooves and wings. As expected, Celestia was the exact definition of a morning pony. Never was there a morning where she was particularly snippy or short with anypony. That was for diplomatic arguments and arguing with her sister. And to lecture Twilight, though it was not very often. Celestia looked over to the white earth pony mare and she seemed mortified to say the least. She replied, "It's Princess Luna! Please you must come quick!"

Her ears shot up and worry spread over her face, now standing at full attention at the mention of her sister's name. Lulu was in trouble? What did she do that she did not know about or that the night guards did not report. What did her foal of a sister do this time? Celestia rushed to her hooves and shouted, "What, what's wrong!?"

They practically sprinted out of Celestia's bedchambers and sped walked down the hall. Moon Dancer replied, "She awoke with third degree burns all over her!"

Celestia knew that her sister was prone to getting herself in trouble, she seemed to excel at it. When they were just foals Luna would constantly get her in trouble. It just followed her wherever she went, it was a curse but Celestia still loved her little sister. But what could she have done that caused her third degree burns? She was a goddess, she was immune to natural fire. Whatever this was, it was magical. Which translated into Luna getting in a fight and perhaps even killing her adversary. Luna was very prone to getting overly excited when she engaged in battle, often taking things way too far. Which is why she feared what happened to her during their fight with Sombra. So far he was the only one to actually set her off in a fight.

They rounded a corner, passing familiar grandeur of a castle that Luna and herself built with her barehooves, and Celestia mumbled to herself, "What have you done Luna..."

Finally they rushed into the castle infirmary. The doors bursting open, Celestia and Moon Dancer ushering into the room. Celestia watched in horror ad her hooves were being wound tight in medical tape. Luna seemed to have a distant look in her eye. Celestia stormed through the entrance and said, "By the stars Luna what have you-"

"Don't swear by the stars anymore," Luna said looking out of the nearby window, watching the ponies beneath, "They are all gone...dead...it is useless..."

Celestia seemed shocked at the news and wanted to know that everything was just fine and that she was just kidding. But with the look Luna gave, she was serious. Luna moved her hoof as the doctor finished wrapping her in tape and she said, "Leave us. I wish to speak with my sister alone."

Celestia watched as the other two ponies left without sharing a word with anything or anypony. The mood seemed darker than usual and that did not bode well with Celestia. Luna was covered in medical tape. Covering her forehooves, her thighs, her mid riff, and her chest. A few scarred marks on her cheeks but nothing that cannot slowly heal over time. Luna stood up, seemingly enough with only limited ease. Celestia said joining her sister's side by the window, Luna standing tall and straight, "What do you mean they are gone?"

Luna's expression never moved from her distant and dark look. Luna replied not making any eye contact, "I meant they are gone...destroyed...killed."

Seeing as the current situation warranted unhappy feelings, Celestia changed topics she said, "Where did you get those scorch marks?"

Luna's face went sullen as she replied, "The same mare that killed the stars."

Celestia had enough of her avoiding her questions and said, "Lulu...who did this?"

Luna looked over and said only one name but it was all she needed to say, "Ailana."

Celestia gave herself time to let the news sink in, it was not easy considering that an age old villain from their own past was now coming back to haunt them. The younger Celestia from that age would have shown no mercy upon Ailana and if Celestia went through those events again, she would not hesitate taking off Ailana's head. Usually such thoughts would never even see the light of day in Celestia's head, but Ailana was a rare occasion. Usually a being of pure chaotic fire could bend the usual rules of a complex system of morals. There was a reason that Celestia had left all of the villains most recently appearing, alive, and that is because Celestia wanted to appease the stars. The council so to speak made up of pony heroes of old.

If Celestia knew Ailana, and she did, she guessed that the corrupted alicorn would likely make her first move at killing the opposition. Meaning that she would have to kill Nightmare Moon and Chrysalis. The easiest move to predict. But what Celestia feared was this fact. While Ailana was headstrong and impulsive sometimes, she was a master tactician and strategist, which scared Celestia. It took a third contingency plan and both Luna and herself to defeat Ailana, though the fight went similar than that of Sombra. One of the sisters going unconscious and left the other to defeat their common enemy.

Moving out of her thoughts briefly Celestia shook her head and said, "No, Luna that's-"

"Impossible," Luna finished for her, "That is exactly what I said, then I saw her standing in front of my eyes. Do not worry, she cannot manifest herself physically in this plane yet."

"She likely won't," Celestia added, crossing her hoof over her chest and resting her elbow of the opposite hoof on the crook of her forehoof. Ailana did not use the usual way of possession, rather than overtaking the mind completely Ailana manipulated it. Twisted it, so that it changed the person she was harboring. Corrupting with half truths and with partial lies, perhaps the smartest way of possession. Celestia finished her thought, "At least not until the very end."

Celestia looked over at Luna, whom she noticed did not have her usual ethereal mane made of stars but long deep shade of purple. Celestia swallowed hard at this, if Ailana was powerful enough to strip Luna of her godlike state then facing her in battle was no way to defeat her. Would be suicide. But since she needs a vessel to manifest in this plane then physical attributes would be tipped slightly in their favor. Her gaze stayed on her younger sister, proud of the mare that stood before her now. After a thousand years of imprisonment, Luna had shown that she matured and atoned for her misgivings and faults in the past. She had conformed to modern society rather well, despite some minor difficulties.

Her throat felt rough and stressed but she needed to know the answer to this question if they were to continue, "Luna. Who is her vessel?"

Luna's face went dark with sadness and she seemed dissatisfied to answer her older sister, the taste sour on her tongue as she choked out, "...Twilight Sparkle."

Luna's hooves were crossed over her chest and she stared out of the window, after she answered she closed her eyes as if asking an unseen deity forgiveness. Celestia felt sick to her stomach as the news sunk in. Her most faithful student. The one pony that Celestia treated like her own daughter, was now the pariah. Celestia swallowed hard, her stomach still stinging from the news, and asked, "What does the Pool say?"

Luna turned to face her sister with an agitated look and asked, "Your student is supposed to be corrupted and you seem as though this doesn't even surprise you? Explain, because there is clearly something that I missed."

Celestia bit her lip before she repeated, "What does the Pool say?"

Luna seemed more angered and she said, "Really? After everything that transpired between us you still want to keep secrets?"

Celestia huffed, "I'm sure that you have secrets of your own, Lulu."

"Yes but they do not end with harming you." Luna answered snidely, "Be sure that you can send that secret to your grave."

"I do not fear what events are to come pass," Celestia growled, "But what I do fear is the one that brings the future."

Luna continued to have her hooves crossed over her chest and the look that she bore did not settle Celestia's already restless feelings. Luna said, "So you have no faith that your student will do everything in her power to fight Ailana's influence?"

Celestia choked back a lump and said, "It's not that I don't have faith in her, it's just that Ailana will bring things back that I tried to bury beneath her."

Luna grunted, "Gods, Celestia. I thought you would have learned from Sunset Shimmer?"

Celestia's gaze grew dark as she said, "There comes a day where the student must overtake the master."

Luna stepped close to Celestia and rested a hoof on her shoulder and said, "I won't let you kill yourself from your own sins. You did not offer the same fate to me so it is only fair as your sister...that I protect you."

Silence filled the air in between them. It was not uncomfortable, but it had weight behind it. A heavy burden, Celestia looked at her sister and looking at the scars around her body. They would never heal, at least not in this century. Celestia had taken burns from Ailana, fires so vengeful that they carried for nine thousand years. Celestia scratched her forehoof knowing the familiar weakness of those scorch marks she had held for so long.

They were falling on ill times. Equestria is getting sick and they need to find the remedy quickly before the wounds get infected. Celestia was left with a lot to think about. All of this, this was never foretold in the Pool. The Pool of Eternia. The source of Equestrian magic itself and the only reason that Celestia and Luna were alive, waters so pure that they can cleanse the darkest of sins. The very lifeblood of Equestria and the reason behind its peaceful ways. Ponies are vengeful and warmongering by nature, Celestia should know she started most of the wars in Old Equestrian times. She did not want to rule a country of fear loving monsters. Never again. Celestia asked Luna because she bathed in the waters of the Pool, giving her the ability to read the future like the Pool.

Celestia waited for her answer and it soon came as Luna repeated the lines in her head aloud,

"In days of peace and no war,
When kings and queens exist no more.
The fallen star shall return,
When a sister sees the falling sky.

She shall bring the end of days on her immortal wings,
When fire spurts and metal once again sings.
Only the bearer of diamonds can save the country,
To kill her sister and wield the elements of harmony."

Luna took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she said, "I can see nothing else."

Celestia muttered a line to herself begging to know the meaning, "When a sister sees the falling sky...it does not mean us again does it?"

Luna shook her head, "No, I know that for sure...it must mean somepony else...perhaps it does not mean a blood sister at all..."

Celestia said sitting down slowly in an empty chair, "It's one of the Spirits of Harmony...not Twilight."

Luna thought deeply, looking back out the window staring out at the countryside, forlorn in her gaze, "We need the elements here. Now, where it is safe."

Celestia ignored her sister, getting chills as the lines of the prophecy repeat once more in her head. She always thought that Twilight would be the one to wield the elements of harmony, alone. She was a powerful being there was no doubt about that, and she knew exactly how to wield them. She would have made a great ruler in Celestia and Luna's absence, for there would come a day where they both would taste death and live in peace in their sources of mana. Celestia had a sneaking feeling that her time would come soon, leaving Luna by herself.

Centuries upon centuries and they are still endangering the lives of their ponies. Misery loves company, and it would seem that it is in abundance with the alicorn sisters. Even when the Alicorns ran rampant and free with their own empire. They always put the lives of themselves before their ponies. Celestia broke her thoughts as she said, "There is no place on this planet that can be safe from Ailana's fires. All we can do now is wait for her to show her face and defeat her when she rears her ugly head. Send a letter to the elements and tell them to get here, we must explain this to them. I will send a letter to Cadence, we will need all of the alicorns we can get to try and stand out ground."

Luna nodded and walked out of the room with heavy steps, she always had a heavy gait when there was immense stress. Perhaps one of the many cute little quirks that Luna had. Celestia would miss that, her gaze went to the sky and she stared at the sun. Her eyes not hindered by its rays, she said, "I will see you soon, mother and father."

With that she summoned a parchement and quill, scatching on the paper with neat calligraphy,

To my niece,

I know that you have much in your hooves with running the crystal empire, but I request your attention with post haste. For we have fallen on dark times and this planet requires your attention. Everything will be explained when you arrive.

See you soon,
Auntie Tia

She rolled up the letter and blew on it, casting a spell on it. The paper dissolving into ashes and disappearing out the open window. Soon it will materialize into the princess of love's lap. With her deed done she continued her stare out the window, her voice lowered and raspy as she said, "You better hope that this time you swing to kill, Ailana."

Courtship of Stars and Butterflies

Twilight slowly stirred herself awake, calmly her nerves returned to her from her peaceful slumber. Twilight likely should not have taken a nap quite as long as that one. She could only guess that a few hours had passed, something that both did not bode well for her responsibilities but there was little if anything that anypony could out rightly say about it. She was their ruler and they had little sway in anything that happened to them, which both scared and humbled Twilight. She had ponies to look after and care for, a weight she hoped would not come soon.

She moved her hooves and noticed that she embraced something very warm, a steady beat that thumped against Twilight's chest. Twilight smiled and slowly opened her eyes. She opened them and felt the rustle of somepony else's fur. Tickling her chin with the soft fur, a very light shade of yellow which belonged to Fluttershy. Twilight was glad that she had finally expressed her feelings for Fluttershy, it just felt like a sickness that she could not cure withholding those feelings deep inside her. They had decided to take it slow and see how things would go, nothing too serious just yet.

Twilight moved her chin down and gently kissed the nape of Fluttershy's neck. Drawing the kiss up Fluttershy's neck to her cheek, she was about to go to her lips when Fluttershy said softly, "Don't get any closer Twilight. I thought that we were going to take things slow?"

Twilight brushed her lips across Fluttershy's cheek, slowly drawing them to her ear. Twilight whispered, "That was before you decided to sleep with me."

Fluttershy trembled in Twilight's hold, the jittery feeling rising up through her body and shaking out. Twilight had never been in a situation like this before, and always thought she would not. But she just did what instinct told her to do. Listening carefully to everything that it told her to do. And what it told her to do now was...more arousing then Twilight originally thought. Twilight blushed as she slid her hoof down Fluttershy's side and drawing it closer to Fluttershy's thigh. Fluttershy released a pleasurable sigh and whispered softly, "T-Twilight..."

Her original timidness had shown in that moment, her soft innocent voice erupting over her normal one. Twilight thought she had broken Fluttershy into never talking like that again. It would appear that she still held onto that side of her, deep inside of her. Twilight was fine with that, as long as it showed itself at the right time. And that time was nigh.

Drawing her hoof closer to the spot she had been searching for, Twilight whispered, "I don't know why I never confessed sooner...that way we could have progressed quicker-"

"Phew...what a night...I have to say that as a Lady I-Oh my goodness...I-I-I...I'm sorry I'm interrupting!"

Twilight removed her hooves quickly and Fluttershy sprang up to a standing position. If there was one mare that would probably disapprove of their love together it likely would have been the one that just walked in, Rarity. Not that Twilight thought of her friend as a prude or as "too straight", if such a term existed, it would likely be her. Rarity never came off as the bisexual or lesbian type, always carried herself with dignity and poise. Even if she had barged into Twilight's room and found them...exploring.

Twilight scratched her head as she pushed herself up on one hoof and bade innocently, "We were...um...just...uh-"

Rarity raised a hoof and in a sweet accented voice she said, "Twilight it is okay, I knew."

Though she did not expect an answer she asked anyway, "How did you know?"

Rarity blushed lightly and waved her hoof as she explained, "Twilight darling, what do you think Fluttershy and I would talk about at the spa?"

Twilight's face beated red as she looked over at her marefriend and said, "You-you talked about me?..."

Fluttershy shared the same color of crimson that Twilight had and she rubbed her hoof as she explained, "Y-Yes...You were all I could talk about sometimes..."

Twilight stored that information away safely, not in her brain but in her heart and took that to know the feelings were mutual. Twilight was glad that she broke the shell Fluttershy had been in before they decided to have a steady relationship. Twilight pulled the satin sheets of her bed closer to her to hide her blushing face as she heard a giggle erupt from Rarity who now no longer stood in the doorway. Twilight asked with the shroud over her muzzle, "So you...approve of our...relationship?"

Rarity cocked her hips and raised an eyebrow, "Princess Twilight Sparkle, are you suggesting that I would not approve of such a scandalous and secretive love such as yours?"

Twilight's blush deepened as there was a slight lilt in her voice as she explained. Twilight could only nod as her throat had constricted with a very tight knot. Rarity said secretive because, while most ponies did not care which gender is a social norm they still slightly judged behind closed doors. Especially if a princess was in love with a mare. Twilight will always remember that vivid scene Celestia had described in her personal diary...it was...revealing to say the least. Rarity continued explaining, resting a hoof on her chest, "While I would not find myself in such a situation with...ahem...another mare...that does not mean that I will influence the opinions of my friends...especially if they are in love with each other."

Twilight was about to ask when Rarity interrupted with a smile, "I know it's true love because...well...Cadence and I got a little bored after a few drinks so we started to...listen in on some scandalous confessions...plus you hardly need my approval to be happy."

Twilight smiled and felt the heat on her cheeks to settle and she said with a smile, "Than you Rarity, for understanding."

Rarity waved a hoof, "Hardly my business to intervene on a couple but we are having breakfast downstairs and we were wondering if you would join us?"

Fluttershy answered, "Sounds delightful we'll be down in a minute."

Rarity beamed with joy and said shutting the door behind her, "Excellent, au revoir darlings!"

Twilight lowered the sheet back down, a breath of relief escaping her. Fluttershy joined her side once more and sat down on the feather filled bed. She scooted closer and said, "So...we have them all in the same place...should we tell them all now?"

Twilight reached her hoof out and caressed Fluttershy's as she shook her head, "No, we should wait a few weeks before we tell them-"

Twilight reeled back in pain and screamed out, grabbing the sides of her head as it felt it was splitting itself in half. Slowly tearing itself apart, a distant ringing sound rising in her ears. Fluttershy shot up and faced Twilight yelling, "Twilight...TWILIGHT! Twilight are you okay!?"

Her head felt like it was filling up with burning hot liquid lava. Her eyes burning and steam rolling out of her nostrils and her mane felt as though it burst into flames. The roots stinging inside of her and her throat ripping apart as she screamed. She saw images of something in her mind. She saw a pale white unicorn laying on the ground, broken and bleeding. She cried out, Help...me...please...

She looked over in her vision and saw a tall standing onyx alicorn mare standing over her and with evil in her eyes. Twilight instantly recognized her as Nightmare Moon. She growled, No one can save you this time!

Twilight's vision returned to her and she shook her head trying to regain her senses. She pressed a hoof to her forehead and rubbed her horn. Twilight knew about visions and about how powerful alicorns would receive visions of places and things that were occurring. Twilight shook her head and thought over that vision she had been given. She thought that as Nightmare Moons eternal punishment she could never fully manifest in this plane? She could have been mistaken but Twilight rarely was. And she needed to act fast if she was going to save that unicorn.

Twilight looked over at Fluttershy who cowered near the wall and looked at Twilight with wide eyes of pure fear. Twilight stood up and asked, "Fluttershy what's-"

Fluttershy gasped, "Twilight...what...what happened?"

Twilight looked at her hooves and saw that they were covered in soot and first degree burns. Twilight had this happen to her once before. When she tried to prove that Pinkie's Pinkie Sense was just superstitious nonsense. She had gotten so angry that she burst into flames. Twilight never felt so much anger flowing through her that day, but she did not feel angry. What did this mean? But she could not terry long and she could not sit there and let somepony else's life be taken. Twilight shouted, "I have to go! I'll be right back!"

"Wait Twi-"

She was already out of the door and sprinting down the hallway downstairs, carefully trying not to trip down the stairs. Quick steps placed evenly between steps and gliding down the stairs. Twilight heard the door burst open above her and clambering hooves after her. Twilight turned left and sprinted for the front door. She needed to hurry. She was not going to let another pony lose their life because Twilight failed to slay a demon she should have killed a long time ago.

Rarity stood in the foyer and saw her sprinting friend and said, "Twilight what's-"

"No time to explain! Gotta go!" Twilight sprinted off and stepped into the streets of Ponyville and sprinted for the Everfree forest. The scene was very familiar. It was the same place that Twilight fought Nightmare Moon, and likely where this rivalry would end. She sprinted off and left everything behind her, the only thing on her mind was stopping Nightmare Moon. Nothing else was more important.

Rarity stood in shock and saw Fluttershy sprinting quickly towards her as well. Rarity stood in front of her, prompting the hurrying mare to decline into a stop. Rarity put her hooves on Fluttershy's shoulders and asked, "What's wrong with Twilight?"

Fluttershy responded in a shaken tone, "I-I don't...I don't know...she just...fire...all over her then...then she sprinted off..."

Rarity swept a strand of Fluttershy's hair out of her face and said, "Shh...calm down darling...I'll go after her and tell you everything...you wait here for us to come back."

Fluttershy nodded and Rarity bounded off and went to follow her lavender colored friend. This was all so strange. Twilight never really went off on her own and did not want her friends to help her. Something must be very wrong if she wanted to do this alone. Rarity would know the truth, she wanted to help her friend. She saw Twilight a few paces away from her and sprinted off, her hooves landing hard in the dirt. Following Twilight, hot on her heels.

Destinies Change

Twilight felt water splash as her hoof hit the ground and landed in a puddle. She was just at the edge of the Everfree Forest now, bounding into the ever darkness filled forests of the Everfree. Her breathing heavy as she sprinted through the darkness, praying that she was not going to be late. She was glad that the old castle ruins were near by the edge of the Everfree, as it made it easy for Twilight to get there. But all of this did not makes sense, why would Nightmare Moon harm a harmless mare? Yeah she was an evil pony but Twilight knew her nemesis, Nightmare Moon would never stoop so low as to kill a random pony. She was smarter than that, or at least that was what Twilight thought.

Twilight's dead sprint was wild and almost unruly, her hooves planting hard on the mud road. Her breaths pragmatic and heavy as they came out through her nose. Worry and fear spreading through her veins, hoping she would make it in time to save that mare. She felt responsibility for this mare and could not ignore the fact that she allowed herself to show mercy to a nemesis who would never give mercy. The shadow of Equestria and the queen of nightmares, this was her birthright and Twilight could not change that. Her heart torn and ripped apart by darkness.

Not even friendship could mend her heart, which is what saddened Twilight. Friendship was all that she knew and would impart on others. Lessons on becoming a good friend. Lessons that Nightmare Moon would ignore, her only goal being to shroud the entire land in darkness. Something that Twilight could not fathom, why would anypony want to lay claim to such a peaceful and wondrous place? Why would anypony want to spill innocent blood where it is not necessary.

The air was humid and heavy as she ran through the darkness of the Everfree, a place that Twilight has been finding herself at more and more these days. Especially in later days, she was hoping to rebuild it and make it her castle but that was already done for her with the crystal castle. She tried not to think about anything else as she felt extremely responsible for this mare's life. Nightmare Moon only had vengeance for Twilight, no other pony. This would be her fight and her fight alone.

Leaping over roots sticking out in the road and her hoof falls heavy as she ran through the maze like dirt paths. The shadow filled castle quickly came into view, the morning sun bathing it in its dawning rays of power. Casting away shadows on one side of it. Twilight looked closely and saw two figures on the spot where Twilgiht initially fought, squinting to see the figures. One was tall and onyx and the other was lying on the ground. Twilight gasped and casting a spell she blinked out of existence and teleported herself to teh spot she was very familiar with.

Cracked broken stone that used to call itself the main hall. Moss filling the cracks and taking root into the castle. Tapestries torn and somewhat forgotten with age, though Twilight had seen each and every one of them in a book somewhere. Her breathing heavy and a thin sheen of sweat glistening off of her fur. She opened her eyes and stared directly in front of Nightmare Moon, putting herself in front of the pale unicorn that was bleeding out on the ground. Twilight snarled and it only seemed to amuse Nightmare Moon.

Nightmare Moon chuckled and said, "Well well...I was not expecting to see you here."

Twilight narrowed her gaze and responded, "Nightmare Moon...I thought you needed a vessel in order to manifest in this plane?"

Nightmare Moon smiled and circled the two of them, Twilight staying in between them. Twilight looked and saw a Arcana Blade, a sword made from pure arcane energy and can nearly cut through anything. Her's was shaded black with a white aura. Mist rolling off of the cold magical steel. Freshly stained with blood, the sight causing Twilight to gulp back all of her fear.

"Stand aside Twilight Sparkle. This is not your fight."

Twilight clenched her teeth and her horn erupted with magic as she growled, "This is not a fight! This is slaughter! I might have shown you mercy before but if you so much as lay a hoof on this mare, then I will end you!"

Her veins a lit with rage and passion for protecting this mare she did not know. She had never felt like this before, almost like she emitted an aura of protection and imparting anger that Twilight has never felt before. A feeling of protecting her with her life. The fire she had felt that one day reignited and felt her mane rise in heat.

Nightmare Moon giggled, "My, you have grown since we had last fought...more protective and vengeful, be careful that it does not consume you Twilight."

Twilight sneered, "Like the darkness consumed you."

Nightmare Moon barred her wolf like teeth and returned, "I merely embraced the magic this world had to offer, I embraced my true destiny. A destiny that you will never see...I will make sure you never see your precious daylight ever again."

Twilight smashed her hoof into the weak stone, crack it in an attempt to threaten and warn her opponent of the consequences if she decides to follow through with this and roared, "I will give you one more chance to turn back."

Nightmare Moon smiled coyly and raised her blade to her cheek and said, "In that case, shall we dance? Please, allow me to LEAD!"

Nightmare Moon charged towards Twilight, shadows leeching onto her and her blade raised for a deadly swing for Twilight. Twilight spread her legs and her hooves raised, freshly glowing the same violet glow on her hooves. Her eyes exploding with fire and smoke. Twilight was not well versed when it came to combat, but she knew weaknesses of different elements which was much needed in a fight. Nightmare Moon wielded shadow and cold magic, making the opposing elements needed to defeat her light and fire magic. Both schools she was taught in.

Twilight readied a spell and as Nightmare Moon closed in, a cloud of shadows and darkmist filled the area around Twilight. As the sword came down Twilight cast a flash spell, the intensity equal to that of the sun. The fiery hot rays erupting out from Twilight, raising her hoof to the sky she cast another spell while Nightmare Moon keeled over at the intense rays of the sun. Her skin boiled and singed with burns from the offensive rays she neglected and wished snuffed out.

Twilight's second spell made her lift her hoof to the sky, calling out to the clouds above her and to her teacher to bring lightning upon her enemy. Thunder rippled over the overhanging clouds and struck Twilight's awaiting hoof. The charge filling her hoof and travelling through her veins to her horn, lightning crackling its way up and changing to the violet color of her magic. Bringing her hoof back she charged it with more magic and with one last pump she threw her hoof forward and a shaft of purple lightning exploded out of her hoof. Nightmare Moon had enough time to block the magical attack with the flat of her magical sword. The strike dissipating as the darkness absorbed the energy and made it glow brighter blue. Nightmare Moon smiled as the scorched skin slowly healed, "Now it is my turn!"

The blade thrumming with power, she sliced the air horizontally and a wave of energy flew out and sailed to hit Twilight. Twilight threw up her hooves at the right time and cast a shield. She held her hooves planted firmly on the ground and felt herself being pushed back slightly. The energy blasting in dirt and dust as it hit the violet shield. Twilight lowered her hooves as she no longer felt the air crackle with power. She looked and saw Nightmare Moon readying for another charge. Twilight felt her subconscious step aside and allowed her battle instincts to kick in, something that Rainbow Dash had taught her. Don't think just do what your body tells you to do.

She flicked her hooves and two shafts of pure white light coalesced and travelled down her hooves and formed twin swords of light, Twilight reversed the one in her left hoof and spun the right in her hoof. She closed her eyes, remembering the series of attacks that her brother had taught her. It was rare for a pony to take up two swords at once, it was bad enough that Unicorn Knights had to concentrate on summoning their sword and holding it in their hooves. But Twilight learned quickly a way to do it and it worked very well for her.

Her eyes shot open and Nightmare Moon closed in and swung down, Twilight raising her right blade to parry the blow. As it did energy crackled at the collision and a slight force broke the parry. Nightmare Moon spun on her hooves quickly and retaliated with her failed charge attack. Twilight lifted her left sword and guided the sword of darkness away from Twilight. The blade touched the stone on the ground and Twilight locked eyes with Nightmare Moon for a brief second and in that second Nightmare Moon slammed her head forward and the blow connected to the bridge of Twilight's nose. Cartilage breaking and blood spilling from her broken bridge. Twilight cried in pain and with anger she reeled back and pressed the back of her hoof on her nose.

She looked down at the back of her hoof and saw blood staining her hoof. Dripping down and wishing to collect on the floor beneath her hooves. Twilight had accidentally cut herself before with paper, a knife, and scissors. But this was held with the intention of causing physical harm. Something snapped in Twilight that she could never understand and never wanted to understand. Vengeance filled her heart and the fire that remained dormant since that fated day reignited and her mane and tail burst into fire. Her eyes turning into bright suns and her coat turning into the color of bone. Rage filled her, her mane and tail turning a blistering fiery red. Twilight roared and charged forward, her anger propelling her actions from then on.

Nightmare Moon looked on in fear and awe and whispered, "No...it's impossible...her legacy died long ago..."

Rarity climbed with all she could, up the walls of the castle she had been tasked with cleaning. Hanging moss to rub against her finely groomed coat but she paid no mind to that now. Her friend was acting strange and she would get answers. Though this did not imply that she did not hold fear, that feeling was but kindling in her stomach ready to turn into a roaring fire. What was so important that she could not bother to tell her friends what was the matter?

Twilight had grown rather distant as of late and had forgotten what it meant t be a friend. Though Rarity dare not question the intentions of a princess, but a pony kept secrets from her enemies not her friends. There was almost nothing on this planet that would cause Rarity to denounce her friendship with any of her friends. If they needed help she would drop what she was doing and help them immediately. Then her mind wandered to a place that was dark and was not meant for ponies of the modern era.

She had stayed up many a night considering her feelings on a certain situation. Would she take a bullet for her friends? Will she willingly sacrifice her life for her friends? It was a scary thought and it often challenged everything that she stood for. She was the embodiment of generosity, would it be generous to trade her life so that her friend might live? Would that not be a kindness? Would that not be honest? Would that not also be loyal? Whatever this feeling was it caused Rarity to not focus on what she was doing and found herself at a small crook in the castle. A cranny she had found in her last visit at the castle.

She heaved herself up and stood up, dusting herself off of any dirt or dust that clung to her pristine alabaster coat. She coughed and looked around. She stood in the ruins of one of the towers, one of the tallest or at least what used to be the tallest one. The area around her a large circle, the floor covered with dust and worn down with a thousand years of wear and tear. From the looks of things, it seemed to be the original housing of the Elements of Harmony.

She could feel the deep resonate energy of the place, thrumming under her hooves as they echoed off of the hollowed stone walls. The sun beating down into the large hole that was blown into the tower. In the center lied a conjunction sphere, a mechanism that would house magical power and artifacts. This had six holes that fit gems or what Rarity assumed was the holes that used to house the Elements of Harmony. All six of the holes matching the cutie mark of the perspective wielder. Her eyes wandered over all of them, presented in a pyramid sort of housing.

Honesty. Loyalty. Laughter. Kindness. Magic. And Generosity. Her eyes staying on the one that housed her own, the empty diamond slot that would hold the amethyst gem of power. Rarity stared long at the impression of the stone and felt herself somewhat drawn to it, beckoning her to go and touch it. She had no clue what caused this initial curiosity but she complied with the feeling and drew her hoof forward. Her breath hanging in her throat as she moved it forward, nervousness rising as she pressed her hoof slowly against the cold stone depression.

She closed her eyes and yipped, expecting something to happen. Anything. But when nothing happened she opened her eyes one at a time, her gaze shooting from one side of the room to the next. Both her eyes opened and the feeling of curiosity died.

Only to have it quickly reignited as she saw her hoof start to glow blue, magic shining and swirling around her hoof. Wrapping itself around in its warm light. The light sparkled and Rarity did not stop staring at the light. It grew and leapt to all corners of the room, shaping and forming into a beacon of bright blue light. Shooting into the dawning sky, Rarity's eyes burst in sudden power, her eyes bleeding pure light like the light around her but a darker hue. She felt her subconscious being moved away and travelling through white all around her.

After a brief flash of light she saw herself standing on a stone deus and she rubbed her eyes with her hooves to die down the light that hung in her eyes. She blinked and looked to see a horrible sight.

It was the destroyed main hall of the old castle, pillars fallen down and lying in crumpled mess. Debris scattered around, a sight that Rarity had grown used to but what else she saw she could scarcely believe. She looked and saw lying on the ground was a limp and slow breathing mare shrouded in a long black cloak. Fresh wounds, spilling warm blood to heat the stone beneath her. Her white coat splattered with her own blood. Deep crimson gashes all along her body. Rarity gasped at the sight and rushed over to the mare's side, kneeling down in the dust.

Her voice breaking as she dictated, "I-I'm going to get you-you help-"

She went to lift her but her hooves phased right through her, horror filling her eyes as she could not help this mare. Every fibre of her being was pushing her to try and help her. Her heart racing as she saw the sporadic and irregular breathing of the mare bleeding out on the ground, if she continued to bleed at this rate she would die. Tears tugged to release at her eyes, she did not know this mare but what could she have done to deserve such cruelty. Rarity hugged her sides and clenched at the internal strife that rose within her, she fell back and landed on her hooves.

She bent over and clenched her eyes shut to try and force her tears back and force herself not to cry. Why did this mare deserve to die? What has she done to think that she is beyond forgiveness? Tears streaming from her face she looked back at the mare and felt her heart tear itself in half as she watched the sprawled mare try to breathe laboriously.

Her tears stopped for the time being as she heard a dark feminine voice say in fear, "No...it's impossible...her legacy died long ago..."

She looked up and saw Nightmare Moon standing in horror, as a white mare with a mane and tail made from pure fire charge forward with red fiery swords and strike relentlessly with reckless abandon and rage. Rarity's heart leapt into her throat as she saw the cutie mark. It was Twilight's cutie mark, causing Rarity to look on in fear and terror. Rarity had never seen Twilight filled with so much rage before, making so many mistakes at random intervals. Rarity could only guess that Twilight was defending the half conscious mare somehow. Rarity looked back at the fight.

Twilight unleashed a series of strikes that Nightmare Moon could barely parry, her defenses falling quickly. Sparks flying from the strikes of the blades. Twilight slashed at the dark sword's guard and knocked the sword out of her grip, with her reversed sword she spun down on a hoof and cut into Nightmare Moon's shins. Causing her to cry out in pain and fall to the ground, sitting on her knees. Rarity cried out to Twilight as she raised her sword to cut off Nightmare Moon's head, "Twilight NO!!!"

Her voice sounded like it was in a large glass tube. Twilight paid no mind to her friend and slashed down, stopping at Nightmare Moon's neck. The red hot sword pressing against Nightmare Moon's neck, like the singe wound from a poker it burned through her onyx coat and skin, light burning into her veins. Nightmare Moon pleaded with blood seeping from her nose and shins, "Wait wait wait wait! Twilight...before you...before you do this...think about why I am doing this, that mare is a danger to Equestria and must be stopped."

Rarity wondered if she could be seen, she jogged up to Twilight and attempted to tap her on the shoulder but it phased right through her. Rarity looked and saw Twilight's face filled with anger as she hissed, "Why should I believe anything that you say? You tried to take over Equestria, twice!"

"I know...what I did...but what I meant to do was to...have eternal darkness...she...she wants-"

"Don't...listen...to...her..." The white mare painfully spat out, "She...is...ly...ing..."

Rarity looked back in horror and pain as she went into a coughing fit. Blood and mucus mixing as it spat up in front of the mare. Twilight looked back at Nightmare Moon and curled her mouth in anger and raised her sword once more in anger, as it came whistling through the air Nightmare Moon said with her tone neutral and even, "Don't fall too far..."

The blade cut through and sliced through her neck like a hot knife through butter, no blood. No sound of bone breaking. Just the sight of her head falling off of her shoulders and plop to the ground. Rarity looked into Twilight's eyes and saw something that Rarity never thought Twilight would have. She looked at her best friend and saw a look of pure madness.

Rarity felt her consciousness pull itself back and in another flash of light she felt a magical influx and anther flash of light and felt her body teleport itself to somewhere else. She had saw something that she would not soon forget, her heart and mind changed. Rarity opened her eyes and saw that she was now in the hall of the crystal castle in Ponyville. She shook her head and tried to gather her wits, analyzing her thoughts and feelings on what she just saw.

Opening her eyes once more and saw her friends huddled next to Spike, all of them looking over his shoulder with mortified expressions on their faces. Applejack, Fluttershy, even Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie looked fearful. They all looked up at Rarity at her magical entrance and Rarity asked as they all shared the same terrified expression, "What is the matter?"

Author's Notes:

I am slowly having fun writing these chapters. This was a great chapter to write and to edit. More on the way

Deceived

Twilight let the swords vanish from her hooves and her knees finally gave way for her to fall and brace herself against the stone. She would have time to reflect on how she felt about killing another pony when the mare was safe. Twilight scrambled to her hooves and rushed over to the mare. Already she was starting to lose her color and Twilight could not have this, she did not come all this way to just have this mare die on her. While her knowledge on healing magic is limited she still knew few effective spells. Twilight let her horn glow and the magic swirl down and dance over the mare's form. Holding her in her hooves. The bleeding stopping and the wounds slowly sealing up, her horn aching at the press of her normal amount of magic she could use.

The air was cool and the sun now sat high on its perch, beading its golden rays down upon the earth of Equestria. To warm it with its love. Celestia had out done herself with the warmth and brightness of the sun, Twilight made quick glances at it while she fought Nightmare Moon. It had rose red, which had meant that something or sompony would die. Twilight swallowed hard as she realized that she was the one that killed somepony. Twilight clenched her eyes shut and shook slightly, back and forth once and then shooting them open.

Her mane was fiery orange and bright yellow, mixed in with a little bit of red reminding Twilight of Sunset Shimmer. Pale white coat and a horn. So she was a unicorn, but why would a normal mare want to be this far from Ponyville? Twilight had questions and looked up as she saw the mare slowly start to stir awake. Twilight sensed that she had given her enough strength so she let go of her and she seemed to land on her hooves just fine. With Twilight's ascension she has slowly begun to grow and noticed that she had a similar thin figure as an alicorn, taller and sleeker.

The mare coughed and opened her eyes and said standing up and facing Twilight with a warm smile, "Goddesses bless your noble and kind heart! I thought I was a goner until you showed up."

Twilight took in a large breath of air and asked, "What is your name?"

"Oh," She pulled off her hood and revealed a small oval face and fiery red eyes, "I am Elianna. And you are?"

"Twilight Sparkle." She answered without skipping a beat. Her eyes grew wide at the recognition, clearly she knew who Twilight was and knew what she did.

Elianna stomped her hooves in excitement, "OH!....I can't believe I get to meet you! I have read all of your books and research papers, you are such an inspiration for what I do!"

Twilight let a smile drift across her face as she said, "Thank you..."

Twilight nearly keeled over and pressed her hoof against her temple. Elianna caught Twilight in her hooves and said, "Woa woa. We'll have none of that, what's wrong?"

Twilight tried to congeal a smile as she responded, "Nothing...it's just..."

Her voice trailed off as she looked up at Elianna. Something pinged in the back of her mind telling her not to trust this mare, warning her not to let her trust fall on her. She did not know what it was but something told her that her trust would die with this mare. And for once in her life, she has decided not to trust her brain and trust her heart. Her heart told her that this mare could bring something new into her life, perhaps another friend to love and to care for.

She coughed and finished her sentence, "...I recently have went through another magical ordeal-"

"When you absorbed the powers of the Alicorns and defeated Tirek."

Twilight knit an eyebrow as she asked, "How did you-"

"News travels fast and like I said, I am your biggest fan."

Twilight nodded her head slightly and stood up, testing to see if she had enough strength to do so. She balanced and continued, "Well, I used more magic than I am used to so I am going through magical exhaustion."

Elianna's eyes grew wide and she said, "I have just the thing that can help with that, that is exactly what I came here looking for. I came to this place because I had relatives that worked inside the old castle. They left one of their heirlooms in there and left a letter after they passed about the information. I came here looking for it. Think of this as repayment for saving my life."

Twilight waved a hoof and shook her head, "No I couldn't-"

"I insist Princess Twilight. You saved my life, I want to give something in return. This can help you in recovering from your magical exhaustion."

The friendly face that Elianna bore was more than just inviting, it was downright embracing. She was so accepting and so thankful, Twilight never done something like this. Sure she saved Equestria on numerous occasions but she did not save them directly, with them watching and there to congratulate her on her victory. She seemed genuine, with her friendly smile and welcoming eyes. She felt guilty that she was having issues trusting her. Twilight lifted a hoof that pointed to one of the doors leading inside the castle and bade, "Then in that case, lead the way."

Elianna smiled and went off, Twilight following close behind and they walked through the halls in a stiff silence. Their breaths hanging in the cold stale air of the long dead castle. Twilight felt a slight shiver run up her hooves, a noticeable feeling and one that she has come to familiarize herself with every time she entered the old castle. Their hoofsteps echoing off the cold stone floors, resounding off the much moss ridden walls. Shadows clinging to the very corners of the halls, navigating through with seemingly no trouble at all. Twilight commented, "You seem to know where you're going."

Elianna glanced back and returned, "Yeah...my family has always been alongside with the princesses. One of Equestria's first noble families. My great great grandparents left very detailed papers after they passed away, I'm just glad that it would go to good use when I find it."

"You have ties to the royal family?"

"Oh heavens no," Elianna grimaced, "We have merely followed the princesses since the beginning of their rule. We became good friends over the years, forming strong bonds. But...alas...after Luna's banishment we have remained quiet in Canterlot. Really we were forgotten almost all together by Princess Celestia. Attending the galas and the meetings of nobility."

Her voice carrying as they rounded a corner. Twilight asked once more, "So your family are traditionalists? I only ask because of your name."

"Oh yes, we are heavy traditionalists. Which is probably why we were forgotten, we clung too closely to the old ways..."

She grumbled the last part to herself, nothing that she could make out but decided not to think anything of it. Her mind wandering to other things. How she loves Fluttershy. How she is willing to cope with living eternally without her friends, still always in the back of her mind nagging for it to come back to light. She wanted to forget altogether, to forget that awful feeling she felt whenever she thought about it. All it did was let her become nauseated and forget why she felt like that. Her friends were integral part of who she was, if that was taken away from her...Celestia only knows what she would become...

Elianna glanced back again, "So, what is it like being the personal student of Princess Celestia?"

Twilight rubbed the back of her head and responded, "Well...I don't really know how to describe it..."

Her thought process breaking and her train of thought derailing as she thought of how to begin. A cold shiver running up her spine as Elianna said, "How about secrets? Does Celestia have any secrets that she only tells you and nopony else?"

She ignored the uncomfortable shiver, "Well...no...at least not that I know of...I guess that's why they call it a secret."

Silence ensued for a while until Elianna continued, "What would be your reaction? If you figured out that Celestia had been holding secrets against you?"

Twilight swallowed back a lump as they navigated the halls of the old castle and answered nervously, "Well I-I don't really know what I would do. I have never witnessed something like that."

Elianna found what she was looking for and pressed a hoof against a stone and said, "I did not mean to impose, I merely wanted to know if you knew anything that Celestia did not want you to know."

Twilight intoned, "What would be so wrong as to keep something from me?"

She pushed the stone inward and a mechanism clicked into place. Stones rumbling inside the walls and half of the wall rumbled and moved to the side. Elianna looked back at Twilight and shrugged, "I don't know, perhaps that is something that you would have to ask Princess Celestia. Come on, it should be just down here."

Twilight looked down the secret hallway and saw only shadows awaiting her, Elianna cast a light spell on the tip of her horn and a red glow erupted out and gave them a wider field of vision. She looked and saw a stone staircase spiralling down into continued darkness. The way down seemed only thin enough to have one pony wide. Elianna walked forward and began descent into the darkness, Twilight reluctantly following. The joyous tone that Elianna once had was gone and was replaced with a neutral tone. That voice in the back of her head was growing more and more loud. Practically shouting at her to turn tail and leave all of this behind.

Elianna glanced back, "How is your knowledge on Old Equestrian History?"

Twilight thought for a moment, "Hmm...well that depends on the period, do you mean before the Discordian Era or after?"

"Before."

"Well in that case little to known. There are not many texts remaining from that period."

Elianna looked back and responded, "Have you ever stopped to wonder why?"

Twilight shrugged and Elianna turned back in front of her and explained, her voice echoing high off of the stone walls, "Well...back in that time Equestria was not like it was today. Large city states ruled by lords and ladies, peasants to farm the land and pay their taxes to their lords. The old feudal ways. And a time where knights and wizards ruled he land and safeguarded it from the forces of evil. Specifically I am referring to the Knights of Harmony. The jointed knights and mage alliance that protected Equestria from evil, both foreign and domestic. IT is from those noble ponies that I draw my ancestral line, from those noble ponies I was given flesh.

Twilight listened closely, shrinking under her powerful and dictatived voice. Her tone speaking as though she was straight from that era. Twilight listened with intrigue.

"Powerful mage knights that drove out evil in its most wicked form. But, times changed and the need for such knights diminished. The people seeing them as monsters, ordering them to hang up their armor and swords and live in peace with the rest of Equestria. Little did everypony know that evil would not rest in Equestria, no matter how peaceful it may be. War is in its blood...perhaps more so than Griffons. And the Knights of Harmony knew this, so they would wear rings that would mask their powerful magic and offer a direct line to weylines that were scattered across Equestria. Giving them more power than they could imagine, so if they were called to battle they would be ready. My family has one such a horn ring, one that can grant you this direct connection to weylines. Offering you the ability to rapidly rejuvenate your magic outlet."

They stepped hard unto soft stone and the room seemed to open up, Elianna looking to the right and shooting a floating orb to something in the darkness. In a flash the room expelled all darkness and torches along the walls, Twilight lifted a hoof to try and shield her eyes from the sudden increase in lighting. Twilight lowered her hoof and saw that the room was eighty feet high and thirty feet wide. Made of older stone and from what Twilight could tall stronger mortar. But her eyes moved to the sixty foot stone statue in the middle of the circular room. A stallion kneeling with his sword stabbed in front of him, dressed in heavy plate armor all over him. Chestplate, shoulders, legs, arms, nearly armored head to hoof. A hood pulled over his young and pristine face, head bowed as if praying to the heavens itself. It was magnificent and awe inspiring, Twilight had never seen something quite like that before.

She looked closer and saw, chained to his belt was a small glinting golden ring. It was about the width of Twilight's horn. Twilight eyed Elianna who motioned for her to go grab the ring. Twilight walked towards the kneeling statue and moved her head up, keeping her eyes on the magnificently carved granite statue. She stopped at the stallion's side and looked at the ring, the glistening metal almost tempting her to take it. Twilight decided to not let hesitation overtake her and activating her magic, unhooked the ring from the belt. The ring thrummed with power as she levitated it towards her horn. The vibrations getting stronger as she slid it on her horn. She felt magic pumping through her veins, her magical strength returning to her. Cool sensations washing over her, causing her to release a satisfied sigh. She stood up and looked over to Elianna and said, "Thank you...you did not have to do this...Do not worry, I will take good care of this ring."

Elianna beamed a smile and replied, "A perfect fit...you are quite welcome Princess Twilight and I am sure you will take excellent care of the ring."

She folded her hooves across her chest and tapped her chin with a hoof and continued, "You know what...now that I think about it...I remember there being a ritual to help you hone control of the ring and the weyline connected to it. It is an old ritual and it can be performed in another room just beyond this one. If you don't mind of course."

Twilight waved her hoof, "Oh no it's perfectly fine, lead the way."

She had never before put so much trust into one pony before. She never felt like giving somepony this much trust, it was an odd sensation. She followed Elianna into the adjacent chamber and they quickly found themselves in a small stone room. A stone table transfixed in the center and it raised on a deus. Twilight however felt a great pinging sensation in her head as she stepped in, Twilight reeled back at the sudden pain. This was no mere ring, it was a magic supression ring. The runes were cleverly hidden by magic and reacted to hidden runes scattered about the new room. Twilight hunched over and gave an angered look to Elianna as she said, "If we are to continue we should be honest with each other. I have not told you the full truth."

Twilight growled, "You..."

Twilight went to sprint her way out of the room but was stopped by some magical barrier. Slamming her hooves spasticly against the magical glass Elianna said, "It's no use Twilight. You cannot escape, your magic has been severely weakened-"

She stopped in the middle of her sentence and Twilight heard her dark and deepened voice right into her ear, she whispered, "-As you already know."

Twilight sneered angrily, "Who are you? And what do you want from me?"

Elianna chuckled and stepped back, Twilight turning to face Elianna. Her back braced against he magic barrier, hoof pressed tightly on her head to ease the pain. Twilight looked on and saw a mare much more sinister. Her eyes now glowed a bright orange red and the edges of her eyes had thins wisps of smoke coming out of them. She smiled cruelly and replied, "Typical Celestia to erase my name from the history books. I of course seemed to be the only one to bring out Celestia's anger...I am Ailana, the Shepherd of Fire. And I want my vengeance against the Princesses and against their subjects. Celestia imprisoned me in a star and I will make sure she will feel ten thousand years of fire and destruction...and you will help me."

Twilight spat, "I would sooner offer my head to the headsman than help you on your quest for-"

"But you have been wronged just as much as I from the whore you call a princess. You are apart of my legacy, you carry my magic in your veins. This is why you are what you are, you harbor my destructive force. You carry my blood...this is why you had such a violent reaction to the entrance exam. Celestia saw your magic and knew it was an extension of my own, so she imprisoned your powers inside of you. Hoping to keep the whole of Equestria to burning down once again."

Twilight shook her head and groaned, "No...no that's...no...that's not true. You're trying to manipulate me so you can overtake my mind."

Ailana gave a cruel smile and said, "No, I am not. I have expended most of my powers already to escape my prison and inhabit this body, I had ten thousand years to plan my revenge and you are the perfect cantidate."

Ailana stepped in close and moved a strand of Twilight's mane out of her face and Twilight moved her head out of reach from Ailana. Ailana smiled and said, "Come on Twilight...we are both reasonable ponies. Perhaps we can reach deal. One where I can make your friends immortal."

Twilight looked shockingly to Ailana and she continued, "Yes, my magic alone can grant immortality. The fires of the stars burn eternally."

Twilight hissed, "I am not easily manipulated...Ailana."

She smiled and said, "That's okay, I had patience to last ten thousand years and I have enough to last ten thousand more. You will break Twilight, before the day is over you will break."

Update: Sorry

This fic will be cancelled

Do not worry though, this fic had a good run it was just getting a little bit too jumbled for my tastes. I should have just left it as a one shot. Oh well, I will however inform you that some of the ideas from this fic will be reworked and transferred over and written as another fic. You see, early on in my FimFiction account I wrote a fic called Dark Apprentice, where Twilight was convinced that the only true path to power is through darkness. So I will be combining the ideas of both fics and make a whole new fic for all of you to enjoy. Keep an eye out, and I am sorry for the inconvenience.