Captain Flash Sentry silently trotted through the halls of Canterlot toward what was left of the throne room. The purge of the nobles and his own guards had been a messy affair. The traitors had misinterpreted the explosion that birthed Daybreaker to be the sign to begin the uprising. Their fervor was short lived once word got out that their ringleaders were now just shadows burned into marble and that the loyalist elements of Solar Guard were now hunting them. Having declared their intentions so brazenly, it did not take long for the remaining turncoats to be identified and rounded up. Some fought back, of course, only to meet their end at the end of spears and bladed wings. As for the rest, the Solar Alicorn’s orders were clear: immediate execution. Sentry, however, decided that a stay was in order.

“The ringleaders and turncoat guard have been eliminated.” The orange pegasus muttered to himself. “Guilty or not, the rest are still civilians.”

The lawful stallion had what was left of the nobility arrested and transferred to his Tyrian Guard counterparts in Ponyville. Obstinately, this was due to the lack of secure holding cells in Canterlot but they knew he was sparing them from the Alicorn’s fiery wrath or at the very least delaying it. Now it fell upon the Captain to report to said Alicorn and hope her demeanor had improved.

“She was angry; a momentary lapse in sanity.” The nervous guard told himself. “It happens to the best of us.”

“…calling in her heavy hitters.” The hushed whispers reached Sentry’s ears as he rounded a corner and found two of his Solar Guard who immediately snapped to attention. “Captain!”

“At ease.” The pegasus said automatically. “Something you wish to share?”

The two guards exchanged brief glances.

“Well, we’ve heard that Princess Celestia or whatever she wants to go by now is summoning the Luminous Solarii.” One of them answered. “And after what happened with the nobility…”

“We are worried she might go full tyrant.” The other finished for his friend. “At the risk of sounding cliché, this is not what I signed up for.”

“Nor did I.” Sentry sighed. “Why don’t you two take a patrol near Ponyville? I heard they are in need of an increased guard presence.”

“Will do, sir.” One of them caught on to his meaning and nodded. “Thank you, sir.”

The two Solar Guards departed for their new ‘patrol’ as their Captain continued down the hall. As he drew closer to the throne room, he could both hear and feel a mighty power radiating out like a bonfire. Just outside the seat of power, he spotted another pair of his guards who were standing a fair distance away from the sweltering heat. When they saw their captain, they could only offer shrugs and shakes of the head to his silent question; they had no idea what was going on.

“I think I’m about to find out.” The pegasus remembered to keep his thoughts to himself less he say something compromising as he neared the scorched and battered entryway to the throne room.

After giving nods of acknowledgement to the guards flanking the doors, Sentry entered to find the seat of power in Canterlot was still in a state of disrepair. The throne was still a semi-molten pool of slag and ashen rubble was strewn across the pot marked floor. The shadows of Blueblood and his doomed cohorts were still clearly visible in the wall. Their vanquisher was standing in the middle of the room, horn ignited and concentrating on a writhing pillar of fire that seemed to reach to the blazing midday sun.

“It has been noon for at least five hours now.” Sentry thought as he cleared his throat to gain the fiery Alicorn’s attention.

“Ah, Captain Sentry.” Daybreaker said without looking at her visitor. “I will be with you in a moment.”

The pegasus found a study enough hunk of rubble that looked like it would off some modicum of cover and stood by it. The Princess flared her magic and the conflagration increased in intensity. Sentry watched as best he could as spheres of light fell from the sun along the column of flame. The lights took on equine shapes as they reached the floor and landed with the loud clang of metal striking stone. Out of the inferno trotted a gilded Solarii followed by another and another as their mistress summoned them from their solar sanctuary. Soon the room was filled with a veritable golden army, leaving Sentry to feel like the odd stallion out.

“I was wondering where she stashed them when they weren’t needed.” He thought as the armored equines formed ranks. “To think these were once common ponies.”

“You summoned us, Your Brilliance?” One the pegasus assumed to be their equivalent of an officer asked with an obedient bow.

“Indeed, I have.” Daybreaker nodded as she extinguished the solar flare. “Darkness has seeped into the hearts and minds of the ponies that once worshipped me and they now threaten the land from within and without.”

“Then by Your grace, we shall redeem them with sword and fire!” The Solarii declared.

“Of course you will, I command it.” The Alicorn smiled. “For now, gather on the palace grounds. I will announce the greatest sources of heresy shortly.”

“This is worse than just some temper tantrum.” The Captain wisely kept his thoughts to himself. “Stars above, I wish Twilight was here.”

The sun-blessed host saluted and dutifully filed out of the room, either oblivious or indifferent to their revered matron’s new appearance. Only when the last one departed did Sentry felt it was safe to approach the Princess who had shifted her attention to the vista outside the gaping hole where the stain-glass windows used to be. He knelt respectfully and waited for her to address him.

“I heard the sounds of bloodshed from here.” Daybreaker said with a smirk. “I take it the traitors have been dealt with.”

“Of course, your majesty.” The captain answered carefully. “I have also revised our recruiting strategy and methods of instilling loyalty. This won’t happen again at least in the Guard.”

“Proactive. I like it.” The blazing Princess nodded in approval. “And Discord?”

“He has been taken care of.” He added with a glance at the scorch mark where the draconequus had been incinerated.

“Hmm, I really should have done that sooner.” The Alicorn mused aloud before she changed the subject. “Tell me, my illustrious Captain Sentry, what do you think of my sun?”

“Is that a euphemism for her ass?” Sentry’s eyes briefly drifted toward her shapely sun-kissed flanks. “What? No! Don’t think of her that way, Flash!”

“It is the reason most of us are alive.” The pegasus gave the textbook answer. “Its life-giving light grows our crops, warms our lands and keeps the cold darkness at bay.”

“Good answer.” The Alicorn regarded him with a smile. “And what do you think of those who try to leave its warm embrace?”

“You mean like the thestrals?” The captain asked, suddenly fearing for his nocturnal counterpart’s safety.

“No, not those lunatics.” Daybreaker clarified. “I mean somepony who has lived happily under my reign for many years only to break away once things do not go their way.”

“Sounds like a spoiled foal who needs disciplining.” Sentry answered hesitantly.

“How right you are.” The Princess agreed. “Good to see you are more than a handsome face.”

“You should see the rest of me.” The thought almost became words before the stallion reined himself in. “Damn it! Get a hold of yourself!”

“Thank you, your majesty.” The captain tried to give the automatic response but could not keep the strain out of his voice. “You honor me.”

“My gifts are many and bountiful.” The Solar Princess said, punctuating the entendre with a flirty bat of her eyelashes. “It is a shame some have spurned my generosity.

“You speak of the Neo-Crystal City.” The now sweating stallion tried to deflect the subject away from him. “I had heard rumors of their succession but-“

“Mi Amore Cadenza has lost her way.” The fiery Alicorn interrupted curtly, malice flashing in her gold-hued eyes. “She has let seditious fools poison her mind and turned what is left of the crystal ponies against Equestria; against me!”

“I got a really bad feeling about this.” The captain wondered how far he could fly out the window before the Alicorn shot him down.

“What are we to do about it, your highness?” He asked thought he suspected he already knew.

“A public display of our military might should do the trick.” The flaming Princess rattled off her plan as she took a few steps toward the captain. “Take a company of my Solarii, seize the city and put down the ringleaders, just like what you did here.”

“I’m not sure the crystal ponies will like that.” Sentry said carefully.

“If they resist, then the corruption has spread too far.” Daybreaker was now only a few paces from him and he could feel the heat radiating off her like a furnace. “My little sister had the right idea on how to rectify that. As you said, this cannot go unpunished.”

“This is insane!” The captain thought. “Usurpers are one thing but committing genocide against the crystal ponies for wanting to rule themselves?”

“Your majesty, I cannot-!” The orange stallion’s voice caught in his throat when the Alicorn placed a frim yet oddly comforting hoof on his shoulder. “Uh…”

“I understand if you are conflicted about this, my brave captain.” The Princess said in a low tone that made his fur stand on end. “You need not be. You will be doing me a service.”

Sentry suddenly found it hard to talk as the taller mare trotted beside him, her hoof trailing down his shoulder across his withers to his wings. They twitched excitedly under her touch, earning a short giggle of approval from Daybreaker. His willpower faltered as his eyes were once again drawn to the flanks of the mare as she passed. A different type of heat manifested between his hind legs when he caught the slightest glimpse of the Princess’s winking nethers past her burning banner of a tail.

“I reward those who serve me.” Daybreaker cooed seductively as her own lustful gaze ran southward. “Especially strong, steadfast and virile stallions such as yourself.”

“This is every guard’s fantasy.” The pegasus’ lust-addled mind struggled to function. “But this is not the Princess I pictured it with.”

“Princess, please.” The increasingly aroused stallion managed to squeak out as he felt another hoof on his rear.

With a simple flex of her powerful forelegs, the Solar Destroyer shoved him to the floor. He landed on his side and managed to roll onto his back before the Princess pinned his outstretched wings beneath her. Sweat beaded on his brow as the amorous Alicorn touched her muzzle against his, her lips peeled back in a toothy smile. The pegasus could swear that the sun had gotten brighter as if signaling its approval.

“My Solarii could use a stallion like you in their ranks.” The mare that was Celestia said breathily. “I think you would enjoy the benefits. I know I have.”

Her horn ignited and Sentry felt his now completely erect member be enveloped in heat so intense he feared it turning to ash. Daybreaker seemed to enjoy his discomfort as she captured his grimacing lips with hers. The pegasus went lightheaded as her tongue slipped past his parted teeth and forced itself against his own. Raw instinct began to take over as his forehooves found her neck and caressed it, mindful of the inferno of a mane. The Alicorn hummed happily in his mouth as she redoubled her magical ministrations on his pride, causing the tip to brush against her taught underbelly. She eventually broke the kiss, leaving Sentry to stare dumbly up at her.

“Twilight certainly has good taste in stallions.” The Princess smirked as she leaned forward and aimed his turgid length at her awaiting marehood.

“Twilight?” The one part of Sentry’s mind that was not overcome by lust fought through the fog. “Twilight! What the fuck am I doing?!”

“Wait! Stop!” The stallion yelled just as his head began to part her nethers.

“Oh, nervous?” The armored Alicorn teased but stalled her penetration. “Just let little Flash here do the thinking. He knows what he wants.”

“Well, you shouldn’t listen to him because he’s a dick.” The aroused pegasus countered as the Solar Princess began to grind expectantly against him.

“Cute.” Daybreaker rolled her eyes. “Now am I going to do all the work or are you going to use those strong hips of yours?”

“No, I can’t.” The captain said as he struggled to free himself without tearing his feathers. “I won’t! Not to Twilight.”

“Ha! That homely little sycophant?” The former mentor to the Princess of Magic cackled. “She is but a flicking candle before me.”

The fiery Alicorn straightened up to show off her considerable assets to the prone pegasus. Sentry’s member twitched in approval at the sight of her toned body and especially her bountiful teats. It pained the stallion to admit it but when compared to her fellow Princesses, the youngest came up short in more ways than one. That mattered little to the captain, however.

“So what if she doesn’t have tits she could smother me in?” He thought defiantly. “I love that purple nerd for what she is and if this bitch thinks she can change that, she has another thing coming!”

“Get off me, Celestia.” The captain said flatly.

“What?!” Daybreaker’s lust gave way to potentially pegasus vaporizing rage. “You would deny me, fool?!”

“A smart stallion once told me to never stick it in crazy.” Sentry said as he noticed the mare had inadvertently stepped off his wings as she was showing herself off. “And always have an escape plan.”

While the pegasus was no stuntstallion like those in the wonderbolts, he did know a trick or two. Placing his hind hoofs against the magnificent mammaries that had tempted him so, Sentry kicked off from the Alicorn. The enraged Princess whinnied in pain as the orange captain slid across the floor and out the gaping hole in the wall into open air. He folded his wings and rolled over as he entered freefall, both to build up speed and make himself a smaller target. After falling as far as he dared with the unforgiving ground rushing up to meet him, Sentry opened his wings and caught the air. He leveled out just above the treetops and flew north-eastward.

“I have to find Twilight and the others.” The ex-Captain thought as he flew serpentine to throw off any fire from the city. “They are the only ones who can fix this hot mess.”

“FINE! FLEE LIKE THE COWARD YOU ARE!” Daybreaker shouted after him, her Royal Canterlot Voice shaking the very mountain. “THERE IS NO PLACE UNDER MY SUN THAT I CAN’T FIND YOU! I WILL SEE YOU, CADENZA AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT STANDS AGAINST ME REDUCED TO CINDERS!”

The fuming Princess considered chasing after the deserter but something far more pressing caught her attention. The radiant heat she had been bathing in since that morning lessened. The brilliant light of midday dimmed against her will. Daybreaker looked up to see the moon, benighted in the magic of the Lunar Alicorn, eclipse her sun. The sky entered a pseudo-twilight as the two celestial bodies overlapped, creating a fiery corona around a circle of darkness like the judging eye of an angry god.

“Luna.” The Solar Destroyer sneered in purest contempt. “I knew I would have to deal with you sooner or later.”

---

“Beautiful.” The Lord of Darkness said as he moved toward his long-lost consort as if spellbound. “Absolutely beautiful.”

The Lady of the Stars smiled as she spread her arms for the dragon. Suneater wrapped his scaly arms around her tightly as the two Primordials embraced. The starry entity nuzzled against her love’s neck, earning a deep rumble of happiness from the Black Dragon.

“I would have moved the heavens to hold you in my arms again, Night Sky.” The draconic Lord said in Khthonic. “You are still as beautiful as the moment we emerged from the Air of Khaos.”

“Even under the guise of a dragon, you are still the same Shifting Darkness.” The ethereal entity whispered gently. “I could grow accustomed to the scales.”

“Rahaha, I am making an effort to change into something else.” Suneater chuckled sheepishly. "So far the best I can do is the amorphous cloud thing."

While the two ancients reaffirmed their eternal love, the Equestrian Usurper and Dread Lord watched in awkward silence. Neither felt it was appropriate to interrupt the two so they settled for being a third and fourth wheel.

“Well this is…special.” Nightmare Moon whispered to her caliginous companion as the being she had all but revered fawned over a dragon like a school filly.

“What did you expect from two lovers who have not seen each other for thousands of years?” The Silent King whispered back.

"A fair point." The corrupted Princess admitted.

The Primordials eventually broke their loving embrace. The Lady of the Stars regarded the younger immortals as if noticing them for the first time.

“My apostle, you have performed admirably.” The embodiment of the stars greeted her liberator with approval. “None of my previous chosen have ever come this far.”

“They weren’t me.” Moon said with a self-satisfied smirk.

“Hidden One.” The starry entity turned her attention to the Silent King.

“Night Sky.” The pallid pony responded in kind. “I see the eons spent in that metal ball have not diminished your…”

A low rumble from Suneater warned him that he should tarnish his silver tongue a bit.

“ahem…power.”

“Few things can.” The Primodrial said as she caused a few stars to wink out of existence only for new ones to be born with a wave of her hand. “Speaking of, how did you know the weak point of that sphere?”

“The Lord of the Forge may have guarded his works but Dyson, the mad mortal who commissioned the project, was more talkative.” The Lord of the Dead answered keenly. “Rather his shade was once he tried to use his machine on the sun, the idiot.”

“Ha, you are just a trove of ancient secrets.” The Usurper said with a short laugh. “So now that we are all together, does this mean we can finally move on to the final stage of our plan?”

“It appears so.” The Lady of the Stars answered as she glided past the two equines like smoke on water toward the vista of the planet. “Even from my prison, I could see the power of the living world wane.”

“The mortal nations are divided and their strength of arms has diminished.” The Lord of Darkness concurred. “They will pose little challenge.”

“And with the bearers of the Elements of Harmony dead, Equestria lacks both its greatest heroes and most potent weapon.” The corrupted Princess grinned widely. “Celestia is but a bug waiting to be squashed under hoof.”

“Then the time has come.” The star-crowned Lady announced with an air of finality. “We will finally claim what the loathsome Protogenoi denied us all those eons ago.”

The three would-be conquers looked at the Silent King who had suddenly started living up to his title. The monochrome Necroarch was looking intently at the unsuspecting world before him as he contemplated something. The feminine Primordial regarded him with a slight frown.

“What say you, Hidden One?” She asked seriously. “Can we expect an army of shades and revenants to rise with the coming of Eternal Night?”

The Khthonic Theoi did not answer. Wordlessly, he looked at his three friends and then the bule-green marble hanging in space as whatever internal debate he was having continued to rage. Moon approached him and placed an affectionate hoof on his shoulder.

“The correct answer is ‘yes’.” She whispered encouragingly with a genuine smile. “Think of it: You and I will rule the worlds of the living and the dead as the gods we are. The masses will grovel at our hooves and worship the very air we breathe and ground we tread. You will have an Iron Queen by your side once more.”

The pallid pony looked at the dark Alicorn, his face a mask of neutrality. He seemed to mull over what she had said before he let out a long and measured sigh. Gently, almost apologetically, he brushed her hoof off with his bident.

“No.” The Lord of Shades said neutrally. “I cannot allow this.”

“What?” A look of confusion and disbelief crossed the Usurper’s face. “Why?”

Before the King could even begin to argue his point, he met a swift rebuttal in the form of one of the Black Dragon’s fists slamming into him. The pale pony was knocked off his hooves and sent flying through one of the columns and into the open space beyond. The Lord of Darkness snorted derisively as his not-so-close friend disappeared from view.

“It appears I was right.” He rumbled. “He does lack ambition beyond securing the Underworld.”

“A disappointing but not entirely unexpected outcome.” The Lady of the Stars said with an appropriate sigh. “No matter. He has done more than enough.”

As she turned back toward the planetary vista, the ethereal Primordial noticed the Alicorn had adopted a combat stance with horn aglow. Her expression was a storm of anger, confusion and hurt. Whether it was directed at the Primordials or the now absent stallion, her benefactor could not say but she intended to guide it in her favor.

“His refusal to join our conquest wounds me as well, my apostle.” She said sympathetically. “I know some part of you cared for him.”

“I...I do not understand.” Moon composed herself but kept her horn charged. “I thought we were all together on this. What happened?”

“The inner machinations of the King’s mind are an enigma.” Suneater tried to explain. “If I had to guess, I would say he had his own plans for us and they may have aligned for a time but we have reached the point of divergence.”

“His mistake was expecting we would abandon eons of planning just to satisfy his desires.” The embodiment of the Night concurred. “I have the utmost respect for him and he has my eternal gratitude for reuniting me and my beloved but that will not stop us from claiming what is rightfully ours.”

“I see.” The Usurper snuffed out her magic but still looked conflicted. “Likewise, he would not compromise his schemes to satisfy yours. Still…”

“Come, my apostle.” The starry Lady derailed her trail of thought by placing a reassuring hand on the fallen Princess’s withers and guiding her toward the vista. “Forget that misguided fool. Eternal Night will soon be upon us and you shall be its harbinger. ”

As the Night Mare looked out at Equus and the divide between the night and day sides, her thoughts drifted toward her first attempt at ushering in Eternal Night. She had been standing in that exact spot when the magic keeping her imprisoned finally failed. The Mare-in-the-Moon had immediately gone planet side and did manage to plunge the world into darkness for all of a few hours before she was ‘purified’. Now here she was once more with allies and a considerable boost in power. But would it be enough to prevent history from repeating itself?

“It is long overdue.” Moon said finally. “Let us not delay any further.”

“You two go on ahead.” Suneater waved them off as he stomped toward the edge of the room. “Knowing the old bastard, he would find a way to deorbit this rock to get back home. I will make sure that does not happen.”

“Very well then.” The Lady of the Stars nodded as the dragon shifted into his nebulous for to follow after the Theoi. “Be careful, my dear.”

Moon watched as the tenebrous Primordial poured between the columns and vanish over the edge. In spite of her best efforts to reaffirm her position of strength, thoughts of the King’s sudden betrayal continued to linger in her mind. She still could not fathom why her lover had refused to go along with their plan when it seemed to be entirely to his benefit. The Primordials’ explanation of him just wanting to keep them under his control seemed a bit too simple. Was there something the Theoi knew that they did not?

“Once we cross into the void of space, there will be no respite until the world is ours.” The remaining Primordial warned. “Are you prepared?”

“Of course.” The fallen Alicorn pushed her niggling doubts to the back of her mind. “Just let me do one thing first.”

The former Mare-in-the-Moon ignited her horn once more and connected with the celestial body she was standing on. With practiced ease, she willed the moon through the void of space until it reached a new orientation between the planet and the sun. With the land of Equestria now in the moon’s umbral shadow, the Night Mare cut the connection.

“After spending years lurking in the shadows both mental and physical, I have no need to hide my presence.” The dark Princess explained to the quizzical Lady. “The foals need to know who their new goddess is.”

“Muh huh huh huh, you always did have a flair for the theatrical.” The malevolent entity tittered regally.

With that, the Lady of the Stars enveloped her harbinger in her being and rocketed toward Equus like a falling star. During the stellar transit, Moon summoned her magic and reached out toward the benighted planet and her loyal servants. It was time to pick up where they had left off.

---

On the northern slopes of Mount Canterhorn just below the city limits of Canterlot, a pair of figures paced back a forth nervously before a set of heavy ebony wood gates set in a yawning cave mouth. Night-Captain Knight had obeyed his mistress’s orders in rousing his Umbral kin to the fullest of his abilities which was to say he prepped their arms and armor and made sure no damage from the dragon’s emergence had befallen them during their sleep-like stasis. Actually mobilizing the elite of the Night Guard fell to Luna herself as without her blessed guidance the vampiric thestrals tended to fall back on baser instincts. Thus did the dutiful Knight restrict his nocturnal patrol to the area immediately around the mountain to ensure he would not be far from the cave should new orders reach him. It was before the crack of dawn that his sororal co-captain found him after her temper got the better of her in Princess Sparkle’s castle. Night-Captain Vengeance, her wrath now quashed in the blood of unfortunate ne’er-do-wells, had apologized for her earlier behavior and the two teamed up once after her brother filled her in on what she had missed. The co-captains finished their reduced patrol and were about to draw sticks to see who would get the chance to catch some sleep when the palace exploded. The two immediately investigated and witnessed the emergence of Daybreaker as she incinerated Discord and ordered their Solar counterpart to purge the nobility and military. While the siblings had no love for the elite of Canterlot, they feared that their fellow thestrals may be in line for the chopping block. Thus did they stealthily evacuate the Night Guard from Canterlot and to safety. Some flew to Hollow Shades to bring news of this development while others went to ground in safe-houses and outposts spread throughout the Everfree. The bulk of the Night Guard were now on the other side of the doors their captains were currently guarding. It had been sometime since they had relocated and the two bat-ponies were struggling to stave off the siren call of sleep.

“Ugh, I swear the sun has gotten brighter since this morning.” Vengeance groaned as she glanced up at the blazing midday sun. “Has it even moved? It feels like it’s been noon for hours.”

“Celestia must have *yawn* lost track of time in her madness.” Knight mused sleepily. “I can only hope Princess Luna can talk some since into her.”

“Wouldn’t that be a role reversal.” His sister chuckled dryly. “At least now whenever one of those golden boys takes a shot at us for serving a reformed usurper, we can point out Princess sun stroke is no different.”

The two paced in silence for a bit until Knight paused to lean against the door, his strength failing. Vengeance was about to join him when something flashed past them. They rushed to the edge just in time to see an orange pegasus in Solar Guard armor level out of a steep dive and fly off just above the tree tops.

“Isn’t that Captain Sentry?” Vengeance asked as the gilded captain started a serpentine flight pattern. “What the hell is he-!”

“FINE! FLEE LIKE THE COWARD YOU ARE!” The bat-mare was cut off by the mountain shaking voice of the mad Princess. “THERE IS NO PLACE UNDER MY SUN THAT I CAN’T FIND YOU! I WILL SEE YOU, CADENZA AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT STANDS AGAINST ME REDUCED TO CINDERS!”

“I think Sentry might have the right idea.” Knight commented as he and his sister pressed against the door less the furious Alicorn spot them. “Perhaps we should make for Hollow Shades before the mad mare turns this mountain into a volcano.”

“Or we could strike while she is unawares.” His sister countered as she pressed against the heavy doors until they opened far enough for them to enter. “We have the army to do it.”

On the other side of the thick gates, the natural cave continued for only a few paces before it met the carved stone of a system of ancient catacombs. Thousands of cold stone sarcophagi bearing the macabre sigil of the Umbral Thestrals lined the many galleries along with reliquaries of arms and armor. To the uninitiated, it would appear the place served as a crypt for the honored dead but the nocturnal guardians of Equestria knew better. Said guards were currently assembled in the clear aisles between the coffins, taking care not to disturb their brethren from their deathless slumber. They snapped to attention as their captains trotted in.

“At ease.” Knight said automatically. “I take it you all heard that.”

“The Solar Alicorn is on the warpath.” One of the thestrals answered. “What would you have us do?”

“Given the current situation, we should…” Vengeance was about to voice her plan of attack when an odd sensation ran down her spine. “...what the hell?”

Her brother and the rest of the thestrals felt it as well. Their tired bodies and sleepy minds were suddenly filled with a vigor and clarity they normally associated with a good day’s sleep. It was then that they noticed the light streaming in from the still open doors was growing weaker. Curious, the co-captains and a few guards peeked outside just in time to witness the moon eclipse the sun. As the world entered a pseudo-twilight, the voice of their mistress filled their minds like a gentle midnight breeze.

“Children of the night, heed my words.” The Equestrian Usurper Nightmare Moon spoke and they listened. “For untold millennia we have lived in the shadows, feared and hated by those who dwell in the light.”

A murmur of concern flitted through the thestrals. Not all welcomed the return of the traitor but her words carried some measure of truth given that they were huddled in a cave while Daybreaker sought to eradicate all measure of opposition. Some of the Night Guard, however, seemed positively ecstatic and their number was steadily growing as their corrupted matron continued.

“We gave our blood, sweat and toil to protect them from the monsters that use our night as a cloak only for them to shun us in favor of the day.” Moon’s voice took on a vindictive edge. “They heaped their praises and devotion upon Celestia, blinded by her power and ignorant of the ego they were feeding.”

A series of malicious hisses and snarls emanated from the bat-ponies at the mention of the Solar Princess. Only Knight and a few others still felt some reservations about this newest development. As the Usurper moved forward with her speech, he noticed that some of the coffins were beginning to tremble.

“Just over a thousand years ago, I attempted to correct this grave injustice only to be banished by my thrice-damned sister.” The Night Mare continued with building intensity. “While it was the simpler, weaker voice of the Tyrant in the North that showed me the growing depths of Equestria’s depravity, it was during my centuries in exile that the Stars revealed to me the truth of the harmony Celestia and her sycophants extol.”

Every thestral including the doubtful perked up their ears as if she was about to reveal some grand secret.

“Honesty, Loyalty, Generosity, Kindness, Laughter and the Magic that makes it all complete? DAMNED LIES! They are merely the means by which the lowly plebeians are kept obedient and docile!” The dark Alicorn all but spat in disdain. “The peace and strength they bring? A ruse perpetuated by self-righteous hypocrites to make the slaves love the chains that bind them!”

By now, the catacombs were filled with the enraged gnashing of teeth and indignant stomp of hooves. The sarcophagi were now violently shaking as the creatures within struggled to free themselves.

“That is why they shun us! We who reject the light are anathema to them for we refuse to bow to their coddling dogma so we must suffer their scorn and revulsion in the shadows!” Moon’s evident malice buffeted them like a hurricane, serving to galvanize them further. “I say ‘NO MORE’!”

“NO MORE!” The thestrals repeated in unison as the stone lids to the Umbrals’ tombs burst in a shower of grave dust.

“So take up arms my Legion of Eternal Night!” The Usurper decreed. “The Tyranny of the Sun ends tonight!”

Every thestral from the mountain lair to Hollow Shades erupted in a raucous cheer. With praises to Nightmare Moon on their lips and thoughts of rebellion in their minds, the bat-ponies formed into ordered cohorts. The newly awakened Umbrals smashed open their reliquaries and donned their midnight black armor, predatory eyes aglow and pearly fangs bared. With a flurry of leathery wings, the thestrals poured out of the lair and into open air. Across the Everfree, their brethren filled the conflicted skies from hidden encampments and the colony of Hollow Shades. It did not take long for Canterlot to take notice and respond. The legions of thestrals and flights of Solar Guard pegasi and Solarii headed toward each other under the omnipresent eclipse.

The Equestrian Civil War had begun.

Next Chapter: Shifting Balance Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 2 Minutes