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