------------ Melody’s Tale - Return to Eyriewatch ------------

Twilight! The collective call echoed through the consciousness of all six. To the groggy, half-awake magi, it sounded like she had put her head inside a massive bell just as it rang. She gripped her temples, whimpering softly as she fought to stop her head from splitting apart. She failed, ultimately, and with a cry, let her magic pulse forward.

”AUGH!” The cry came with a shockwave, pure purple and violent… It hissed and spat as it radiated outward from her body. Celestia threw herself in between Twilight’s prone body and the children, her brilliant golden magic the only thing that could withstand the blast… The magic of a goddess.

What’s happenin’?!

It’s Twilight! Their thoughts turned to a blaze, all rushing in a fast river of thought that Twilight couldn’t contain. She could hardly do anything to stop the REST of the thoughts pouring into her brain… Her drastically-altered and very exhausted brain. Whimpering and crying, Twilight fought to keep it all under control, to keep her magic from erupting. She couldn’t, though… Not yet. As time went by, she would… But as it stood, she couldn’t stop it. Celestia, standing directly in front of her, grunted as pulse after pulse of vicious, harsh magic shattered her shields, crashed against her defenses. It was all the princess could to do keep herself from being swept away, let alone those she protected…

Twi! You gotta stop! You’re gonna hurt them! Fluttershy. Her thought came just as the frightened face of Melody peeked around Celestia’s form. Her bright green eyes were wide with fear, her hair whipped off her shoulders.

”RRGH! Can’t!” Twilight cried, tears spilling from her eyes. So much KNOWLEDGE poured into her brain. The thoughts and calculations of thousands of years of magi and magic-users from all over the world. The natives in southern Equestria, the clutchmothers from harpy generations gone past, creatures and beings from the shadowlands, changelings, they all came to her in that moment, filling her brain to capacity and more. She took it all. Every bit of information she could get. Each new morsel she learned made her control grow and grow.

But Celestia couldn’t hold out much longer. The pulses grew less and less intense, but they still flattened the princess’ defenses, made her grunt and stumble, her body quaking under the force of each shock wave that broke upon her.

“MELODY! NO!” Celestia roared. Twilight’s eyes snapped open. She watched, shocked, as Melody slipped around Celestia, began running… She was running towards Twilight. Twilight was unstable! She couldn’t stop it as it happened! In a flash, her magic erupted again, flattening the grass around her as it pulsed towards Melody’s unprotected body.

”Ephemira.” The voice calmed Twilight. It was Melody. It was her voice. She spoke into Twilight’s consciousness, her soothing words calming the racing thoughts and emotions. Twilight, who had been dead just mere minutes ago, was now very much alive, and erupting with magic she couldn’t possibly hope to control… ”Relax. This magic,” The voice continued. Verse this time. His tone was a smooth baritone, a gentle guide that Twilight so desperately needed. ”It’s yours to control. Harness it. Make it yours.”

Both voices rocked through Twilight, overriding every other voice and thought that poured into her head.

”Take it, Ephemira. CONTROL IT!”

“RRRRRAAAAAAAAGH!” With a vicious cry, Twilight threw her arms out and harnessed the pulsing wall of purple that flowed towards Melody. It halted in it’s path, hissing and spitting, crackling with malicious intent. Hands glowing as dense as anything Melody had ever seen, Twilight pulled inwards. The wave hissed, but didn’t move. Once again, Twilight pulled, the magic yielding, giving just a little. “You are MINE.” She growled. This time, the magic vanished, disappearing into nothingness with a snap. The whip-like sound cracked through the air, making everyone present flinch. Twilight gasped as it vanished, her chest heaving.

“Twilight! MOM!” Melody cried out. Caution thrown to the wind, she rushed forward, throwing her arms around Twilight. Shocked, the purple-haired woman wrapped her daughter in a hug, blinking as Melody sobbed into her shoulder. “You’re back! It’s you!” She cried and sobbed, clutching Twilight roughly. Woodenly, Verse walked across the grass of the clearing, his own green eyes brimming with tears. Melody sobbed away, holding Twilight close, while the magi opened one arm.

“Mom.” He whispered softly, rushing forward. His long arms wrapped around them both, crushing them both with the force of his hug. Together, the three of them broke down, crying long and hard for their grief. Twilight let it happen, she let the relief wash over her, tears flowing from her eyes as she clutched her children close.

“Touching.” Noth said softly, stepping into the empty space next to Celestia.

“I’ll say.” She grunted. Looking down, Noth spotted two of her fingers. They jutted out at odd angles.

“Princess.”

“Shh.” With a sickening crunch, she grasped both fingers with her other hand and pulled them into place. Flexing her knuckles, Celestia mended the small bones, hardly giving a wince. “She doesn’t know her own strength. Not yet. With time, I can show her… Help her find her feet. Ephemira is young, still, and tired from her long sleep.” She shook her hand out, the delicate bones now where they needed to be. Her clothes were more frayed than they had been, and unless Noth was mistaken, a little more burnt away… He looked at Twilight, the woman clutching her two children, crying with a silly smile on her face. This was not Twilight any longer. He knew it. Celestia knew it. Deep down, even she and her two children knew it. But she was alive. That much was certain.

“Welcome back, sister…” Celestia said softly. Despite her anger, frustration, and pain… Celestia’s face was split in a wide smile. Deep inside, the princess knew… She was going to meet a lot more family members in the days to come…

“Where’s Lily?” The question pulled them all out of their respective reveries. Noth reacted first, pointing to a spot on the other side of the boulder Twilight had previously been leaning against.

“Mom, wait!” Melody tried to stop her, but Twilight smoothly pulled away from them, walking on two whole legs towards the boulder. “What…”

“Woah!” She exclaimed. As if remembering in a flash, Twilight jumped. The shock of discovering her right leg back where it ought to be was enough to make her stumble and fall, landing on the windswept grass with an audible ‘oof.’ Melody and Verse rushed forward, eyes wide with shock and more than a little disbelief.

“It worked.” Melody muttered softly, looking up at Verse. Together, the two of them smiled at one another, happy with their success. “It worked!”

“Wh… What worked?” Twilight asked, looking down at her leg. Experimentally, she tried to bend it, marveling as the limb followed her command. No more pain, no more blood loss… Just whole, creamy flesh…

“Honestly,” Melody and Verse shared a nervous chuckle. “I don’t… Really know! We just… We just…”

“They did.” Celestia said, stepping forward. They all looked up at her, the princess’ face split in a soft smile. “They did what they were put on this world to do, Twilight. You were dead. In some respects, Twilight Sparkle is dead… But.” She knelt next to the group, smiling warmly. “They brought you back. Your life, and the lives of everyone that held the seed of magic within them, is now within this body. Twilight Sparkle’s memories may be with them, but this body now houses everything and anything there is to do with magic. Aah,” She cut Twilight off, the confused woman opening her mouth to ask a question. “Shh. I will explain more in depth. But not here. It’s… Hardly the fitting place to do so. Verse, would you be a dear and carry your mother for a ways?” Verse scrambled to his feet and padded towards the boulder that Noth had pointed out earlier, disappearing around the edge. Together, Celestia and Melody helped an uneasy Twilight to her feet, smiling as the magi swayed a little before righting herself.

“Wh… What do you mean I’m… Ooohh,” Twilight held her head in her hands, the air around her humming for a moment. Melody laid a hand on her back, which seemed to help. “Woah… This is so…” She blinked a few times, staring at her hands. Melody watched as an arc of magic, purple and crackling faintly, trailed up the space in between her fingers. Like a Jacob’s Ladder… “Woah…”

“In short, Twilight…” Celestia said softly, lifting Twilight’s chin with a single finger. “You’ve become the new goddess of magic. I will explain once we return to Eyriewatch. Come. You need to find your balance again. Melody, please go see if Verse needs any help.” Celestia helped Twilight to her feet while Melody obediently went to go search for Verse… Just as she rounded the boulder, Verse hefted Lily’s slight weight, smiling at her.

“I got her. Come on.” He said gently, nodding his head. Melody breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Lily instinctively cling to Verse, her hands clutching his shirt.

“She looks so peaceful…”

“Imagine her shock when she finds out Twilight’s okay…” They shared a look, a smile, but with it came something else…

IS she Twilight? Melody asked herself, walking slowly as she and Verse slipped out from around the boulder. Twilight was walking on her own, limping a little, but more or less normal. She smiled when she saw Verse carrying Lily.

“Is she okay? She just looks asleep…”

“Celestia put her out.” Noth explained, his gaze sweeping the treeline slowly. “She wouldn’t let you go, and the children needed her out of the way. She’ll sleep for, what, ten hours?”

“Another eight or so.” Celestia shrugged. “Enough time for us to at least get to the guard’s ground command. Come now. We need to return to Eyriewatch.” Celestia lead the way for them, followed by Noth, then Verse carrying Lily, then Twilight and Melody at the rear. Melody smiled as she watched them all walk out of the small wood, the open plain between them and Eyriewatch greeting their view. The flames leapt high into the darkening sky, licking forth from the windows of every black opening in the face of Eyriewatch, smoke and fire gutting the sky, shrouding the dark stars.

“Woah.” Melody breathed. Celestia looked back at her, grinning softly.

“I’d rather have Eyriewatch burn than let it fall into changeling hands. No offense to your mother or Noth.” She nodded to the two changelings that were present. Noth, his cold eyes fixed on the burning tower, only nodded softly.

“They aren’t my brothers and sisters anymore… I owe no allegiance to Chrysalis or her mindless drones… I was a fool for not following Lily’s example long ago.” He said gently. “That’s another story for another place. Right now, let’s just get back…” Celestia smiled and walked with them for a ways further. After a little while, though, Lily stirred in Verse’s arms…

Lily groaned, but her eyes did not flutter open. “Is she…?” Twilight asked gently, peering over Verse’s shoulder.

“No. Still out.” Verse said quietly, trying not to wake her. Melody knew an explosion could very easily happen next to Lily, and she wouldn’t wake. She and Celestia shared a knowing look that confirmed it. She had used a very potent spell to put Lily under for a good, long time.

“We’re almost there. Verse, Melody, I need you two to stay behind. Twilight and I will check if the city is secure.”

“And me.” Noth, who had previously been rather quiet, suddenly spoke up. Celestia let her gaze slide up and down his body slowly.

“Can you hold out against trueform?” She asked. Noth faltered, his expression wavering momentarily. It was getting much darker as they walked across the open fields towards the burning city of Eyriewatch.

“No, milady, I cannot.”

“I’ll not lose a valuable spy to friendly fire.” She said softly, nodding at him. Celestia, the kind and caring mentor, was gone. In her place stood a very powerful, very demanding woman. The kind of woman that had burned dynasties to ash. The calm, serene expression Melody had seen on her face earlier was replaced by a cold, stoic expression of cool calculation and mercilessness. “You need to stay here and protect these three. Though,” She said, smiling at Melody and Verse. “I doubt they’d need it. If their actions in the past few days have shown anything, Melody and Verse are perfectly capable of defending themselves,” She smiled down at Lily’s slumbering form, curled up in Verse’s embrace, “And the ones they love.”

“Y-yes, Milady.” Noth muttered.

“Second doubts?” Celestia asked, arching an eyebrow inquisitively. Noth looked between her cold, hard expression and the gash of light before them that was a burning Eyriewatch…

“Yes.” He admitted.

“Explain.”

“Eyriewatch has… A place in my heart, milady…” He said gently. Celestia smiled and stepped forward. Noth flinched as she laid her hand on his shoulder. He had obviously been expecting some sort of punishment for going against the will of his princess. Instead, the calm, serene look returned for a moment. Their eyes met. A gentle twitch of the eyebrow, a small lifting of the corner of the mouth… Melody recognized them all. She couldn’t follow the words that shot between the two of them, but she surely recognized what was happening.

“So you love her.” Celestia said at last. Noth glanced furtively at everyone else before nodding softly.

“I do.” He muttered.

“Well, then.” Celestia said, her hand slipping away from his shoulder, her cold expression returning. “I’ll see to it you live to lay in her arms another night, Noth. I don’t want you pierced by the flaming spears I myself ignited.” Celestia scoffed. “General Dash would never let me live it down. Twilight?” She said, turning to her former student. The purple-haired woman perked up, stepping forward.

“Yes, P-… Celestia?” She asked, hesitantly.

“I think it’d be fit for you to exercise some of your newfound power, don’t you?” Celestia’s cold smile shivered through everyone present. Melody knew this was the smile that had been shed before entire cultures had been burnt to the ground. It was fearsome. It was remarkably reassuring. Twilight stepped forward, taking the lead. Twilight, her mother, who had previously been dead… Whom she and Verse had personally returned from the dead. Though, as the aura of power crackling around her slender frame was indicating, this was not her mother they had brought back.

This was a whole new, entirely different, and equally dangerous Twilight they had resurrected.

As she suddenly demonstrated, lethal as well...

Melody winced as the first ripple of power shattered outwards from Twilight, nearly flattening the group behind her. Melody saw that glowing purple ball of energy scream forward, straight towards the edge of the city surrounding Eyriewatch. It broke through three houses and levelled the fourth, and everything around it in about a hundred and fifty feet. Melody could hear the whip-like crack of magic, felt the detonation shake the ground beneath her.

“A... A little less next time, sister.” Celestia said gently, laying a hand on Twilight’s wrist. “If you don’t mind.”

“Eer... Right... Maybe if we get closer?”

“Good idea. Noth, I trust you, Verse, and Melody can stay here, then?” Celestia cast a quick glance over her shoulder. Despite the fear Melody felt at watching her mother level half a square block with one quick spell, Melody nodded.

“Yeah... I... I’d feel a bit more safe with just a few guards, though...” Melody managed. Noth glanced at her, but nodded at her wisdom. She still felt slightly intimidated by this other changeling. Then again, if the implications of his relationship with Dash were credible, she could probably trust him.

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll see a few. I don’t plan on having any guards inside the city whatsoever.” Celestia turned her gaze back to the burning tower, to the flames leaping up into the sky.

“They might get caught in the crossfire.” Twilight growled.

---------------

It took them three hours. Melody watched the entire thing unfold before her eyes, crackles of power and magic rippling outwards from broken and burning buildings across the entire city, and up through the tower. Those, however, didn’t start until about two hours in. She spotted guards, hundreds of them, leaving the city, flapping out in a wide circle. There was something she did notice from this far, though... All of the guards appeared to be carrying flaming sticks.

The ones that didn’t were falling from the sky, on fire anyways.

“Are they...” Verse began. Noth spat into the grass.

“Changelings. Celestia’s using her fire as a marker for our forces. Anyone not wielding her fire dies.” He muttered.

“That’s... Brutal. What about the guards that aren’t getting their fire?”

“They’re using verbal codes to spread it.” Noth said. “Celestia was in the clearing about two hours, though... If a guard doesn’t have fire by now, he’s a changeling. That, and most of the changelings are on the ground.”

“What about...”

“The civilians? They’ll capture and detain them all, use trueform to separate the chaff from the wheat, so to speak.” Melody breathed a sigh of relief as Noth put their fears to rest. “That, and there are ways to dispel a changeling’s apparition... Twilight and Celestia will handle all the unshrouded ones, and once the city is secure once more, we’ll move in and help with the separation. We counted eleven thousand in the force that was moving towards Nest. Until the body count reaches at least that, we won’t stop.”

“Right...” Melody returned her gaze to the city. Several guards landed nearby in a short while, forming a half-ring around them. They were completely silent, stoic, their faces set in stone as they each watched anyone that approached wearily. A few more approached, flapping in out of the sky. They were on their side, and Melody trusted Noth as he nodded stoically to each of them. Celestia had sent them to provide additional protection. Each of them held a burning stick in their hands. Melody looked closer... Those were no sticks.

The metal heads of these spears were burning with a flame, glowing red-hot. She gulped. Those would be formidable weapons. The cuts would burn and cauterize immediately, setting the rest of the body aflame... They cast a light, and would make some of the most horrible noises when cutting through the air towards their targets... Celestia was a powerful woman, indeed...

Then it started.

The first ripple of magic made the ground beneath their feet quake. Melody watched a gout of flame leap into the sky, hissing viciously as it consumed the oxygen around it. Even this far away, about a mile, Melody could feel the heat on her face.

“Woah!” A few of the guards flinched instinctively, spears leveling all around in a circle.

“Relax.” Noth said, holding a hand out. “It’s Twilight Sparkle and Celestia. They’re going to handle this for us, gentlemen.” He said softly. “You stay wary of any who approach. Let them worry about the city.” He was a soldier, same as them. What’s more, Noth probably out-ranked them. They all nodded and went back to stoically watching the surrounding area. Over time, more and more guards joined, each of them holding a burning spear of their own. Some of them were wounded.

“Noth.” Melody said gently, drawing the other changeling’s attention. “Let me go help the wounded. I’m good with healing.” She said softly. Noth appeared to be fighting letting her go, but he turned to two nearby guards.

“You two.” He said, motioning. They snatched up spears and jogged over, saluting crisply. “Escort this woman and assist her with the wounded. Guard her with your life, on Celestia’s orders.”

“Yes, sir!” Melody slipped out of the ring of guards and went with the other two, following the one in front of her, the other falling into step behind her. All around her, guards looked up, the strange woman with the teal hair being escorted. They seemed to be following the sounds of groans and shouts of pain. In a moment, they broke into an area that was sectioned off, and was constantly receiving more and more being flown in by groups of two to four guards from the city.

She immediately set to work. This may not have been her calling, but Melody felt in her element here. The other medics gave her an appropriate workload, letting her handle stitches and splinting, the occasional amputation... This was what battlefield medicine was... Melody was sickened, horrified, sympathetic, and shut off from the whole thing at the same time.

It was only when someone shook her shoulder, making her break her concentration. She was trying to stitch a vicious gash on a man who was long past dead. It was Noth, looking at her sympathetically. “Come on.” He said gently. “They say the city’s clear. We’re moving back in.” He pulled her up gently, her foggy brain trying to process what she had missed. How long had it been? How many soldiers had she helped? Or, as it were, not helped?

“Hey.” One of the medics stopped them, wiping his bloody hands on a stained apron.

“Hmm?” Melody said, a little blankly. She suddenly felt very tired...

“You did a good job. We could use a pair of hands like you at the clinic. If you ever want to help out, or learn a little more, stop by. Okay?”

“R... Right...”

“Heh. First time?”

“Yeah...” Melody wiped a hand across her face, felt wetness and stickiness.

“Ick... Here.” He handed her a cloth from a nearby table, letting her tiredly scrub the blood off of her face. “You did good. Especially if that was your first time. Get some sleep.” He patted her shoulder, and Noth took her away.

She didn’t know what exactly was happening, only that she leaned heavily on Noth as they neared the tower. Then they were walking up stairs. Lots of stairs. Hundreds. Thousands, even... She was fatigued, but willed her rubber legs to carry her on.

“Here.” Noth finally said. She looked up at him, tired and bleary, then down at the tub... Full of hot water...

“Is it...”

“A bath.” He affirmed, letting her stand on her own two feet again. “You’re back in the Commander’s guest quarters. Bathe, sleep, and rest up. I’m sure someone will be along tomorrow to tell you where they want to meet. I’m assuming there’s a meeting of sorts... Goodness knows there needs to be.”

“What... What about Twilight? Celestia?” She said, looking between the hot, steamy water and him.

“Wow, you really are out of it. She said good night at the door. Go to sleep, Melody. Bathe first, but go to sleep.” He patted her shoulder and slipped away, leaving her alone in the bathroom. Woodenly, she stripped her clothes off and sank into the water, thankful for the luxurious feeling of scrubbing away the blood and dirt. Sunlight peeked through the windows as she half-dried and flopped down on her bed.

Sleep took her mercifully. Dreamless. Deep. Sound.

---------

“So… You’re telling me,” Melody leaned across the table towards Celestia later on that day, who sat at the head with her legs crossed, looking regal and majestic as she had ever imagined. “Verse and I are responsible for resurrecting every old god that ever existed?” The room was completely silent, save for the gentle crackle of the magic-fueled fire burning in the hearth nearby. Celestia nodded solemnly, looking at Twilight and Lily for a moment before speaking.

“In short, yes…” She leaned forward, tenting her fingers as she laid her forearms on the table. “What happened at Nest?” Melody sighed and sat back in her chair. For what felt like the umpteenth time since they had settled back in at Eyriewatch, she explained what had happened at the ancient home of the harpies.

“Well, Rainbow Dash and who I’m sure was Noth here, came to rescue the four of us from our imprisonment. Which was good timing, as they were planning on killing us that morning anyways… But in the middle of the rescue, they cut the cage. Lily was in no shape to carry much of anyone, and both Noth and Dash had their hands full with Twilight and Verse. So I fell. Right before I hit the ground, though, I heard this voice… It told me to fly… And, well… I guess I shifted.”

“You’re right, Melody.” Celestia said, cutting her off. Previously, Melody had been allowed to continue. She stopped, her mouth open, ready to start the next part of her story when Celestia cut her off. “You shifted. And so did Verse. You shifted, changed, and you became Hurricane and Gale.” Celestia’s words carried a weight greater than Melody could understand. She voiced the question she knew they all knew, the one none of them had asked yet.

“But HOW, Celestia? I mean, Verse and I, we’re just-“

“The last hope for this world.” Celestia cut her off again. “You two hold a power this world has not seen in… Ever. Look at what happened in Nest. Look at what happened just last night.” Celestia gestured out towards the woods, that fateful clearing, the spot that she and Verse had revived Twilight in… “The Children of Love, it’s written, will breathe life into dead gods and return the world to it’s proper state.” Celestia leaned in, tapping her fingers on the table. “Avians are not naturally responsible for controlling the weather. I remember a time, when I was relatively young, that thunderheads and snow storms rolled across the land without the aid of the avians. I remember when tornadoes and hurricanes were the product of a god’s wrath, and only happened when Gale and Hurricane had been crossed.” She leaned back in her chair again, her hands still on the table.

“But… How did we bring Twilight back, then? She’s still our mom…”

“True as that may be,” Twilight interjected. She looked between Melody and Verse, her lips in a thin smile. Even as she leaned forward, her fingers crackled, purple magic arcing between them. “I’m not the same as I used to be. In my blood flows memories that aren’t my own, knowledge that I’ve never had access to before…” Twilight sighed and closed her eyes, trying to find the words to put to it. “I don’t just feel my power anymore… You know what I’m talking about. You know you can feel it in your breast, hiding there, waiting to be brought to the fore. To be used. Exercised. Put to the test.” Twilight opened her eyes, a brilliant flash of purple lighting the room for a moment.

“I don’t FEEL my magic anymore…” She lifted her hand, fingers spread. Melody watched as she slowly clenched her fist, the room humming with an ambient sense of power. “I AM my magic…” She twitched slightly, her eyelid quivering as she squirmed in her chair. “I am everyone’s magic… I can feel every spell as it’s cast, every shield and protective ward, every whisper of magic across… Everything…” She sighed, taking a moment to catch her breath. Twilight stood slowly, talking excitedly and fast.

“I’m in every enchantment, every incantation, every form, every calculation…” She spread her arms, looking up to the ceiling. “I am every spell, jinx, curse, hex, potion, and invocation…” Twilight slowly spun around, her eyes alight as she travelled places far and away, places Melody could only ever dream to visit. “I can feel it all, Melody… Every last whisper and morsel of magic cast since I woke in the clearing… It all flows… Through me… I can feel it here,” She laid her hand on her chest. “And here.” Her other rested on her temple. “Not just that… It feels like… I can feel every thought anyone’s ever had… Every theory and hypothesis, calculation and projection… I know… everything there is to know about magic…” Melody watched as Twilight dropped her hands, a slight chuckle bubbling from her throat. “It feels incredible.”

Celestia smiled and urged Twilight to sit down again.

“There’s something I need to explain to all of you. I hope you understand all of this...” She paused for a moment, her thoughts distracted as she focused on what to say next. “I’m… Not just a princess, or a ruler. I’m a goddess.” Of all of them, only Noth seemed the most shocked. Twilight nodded sagely, Lily blinked, Verse and Melody nodded and leaned in, eager to hear more.

“And so is Luna… As you’ve seen with Hurricane and Gale, sometimes gods can come in pairs… She and I are the goddesses of benevolence. Together, we make sure that rulers across all the world do good by the people they rule… Or, in the case of the Clutchmother, make sure their rule poisons only themselves.”

“Wait, about that-“

“Let me finish.” Celestia cut Verse off with a finger. “We will discuss what happened in Nest momentarily. Let me finish this thought.” She exhaled softly before continuing. “But we’re not the only ones. There are… There are more gods than I know how to count… There are a number of us, though, within what we call ‘The Family.’ We are the ones who were directly created by our father and mother… They have lived longer than... Well, longer than time itself. By their hand, all the world was created. They filled it with our brothers and sisters, including myself and Luna. Invariably, though, the world knew what else it needed. So it created it’s own gods. Don’t mistake me… The Family recognizes and loves these other gods just as much as we love one another… But they are not the product of my mother and father’s work…

“Among them were Gale and Hurricane. The planet needed a way to water it’s soil, to burn it’s dead forests, to spread the pollen and seeds from it’s plants and cover it’s surface with lush, green vegetation… So it created the winds. Gale and Hurricane came together to strike lightning and burn down forests, the ash making way for new trees to be planted. They crossed the surface of the world to create the winds, which carried seeds far and away to help spread the flora. Their wings beat the rain clouds over the land, spreading nourishing water and snow to areas that needed it. Gale and Hurricane were among the first… But when the rivers started flowing and the oceans became unruly, the dragon Aqua dove beneath the waves and conquered the tide. She commanded the ocean to obey her command, or she would burn it all away. She very well could, Aqua was a powerful dragon, a force to be reckoned with… She raised the tides and granted ships safe passage, gave them her fish to eat and use, let them drink from pure streams so cool it almost hurt to swallow...” Celestia continued. There was obviously a lot she wanted to share… She was so energetic now, talking animatedly about the world and how it had come into creation. Melody found herself enraptured with the tale, her eyes wide as she tried to imagine the birthing of the gods…

“Dozens more sprang forth. More than I can honestly recall… The Family watched, helping new gods develop, putting old gods to rest when they needed it… Eventually, my mother and father saw no more need to guide the world. As far as they were concerned, their job was done… So they left.” Celestia turned her gaze out of the window, up into the bright blue sky.

“Across the stars and galaxies they had breathed into existence just to light our night sky, they travelled… No one knows where they are now, nor what happened to them… Though from beyond the stars, they continued to create, to bless the world with new children, new gods… I fell to Equestria through the sun, a burning star that leveled mountains when I landed. Luna, through the night sky. They say the starfall was brilliant to behold. I wouldn’t know, I was but a child… Cadence… Just walked up to us one day. Happy as could be, she looked no older than ten. No one knows where she came from, not even herself… She’s just searching for love.”

“Celestia,” Lily said gently, leaning forward. “You looked off when you said they left… What happened?” Celestia blinked and paused for a moment before smiling.

“You’re right. I did. Sorry, I get rather… Wistful when I remember the old days. Ahem. Well, I fell into a world plagued by chaos and madness… Young and frightened, I hid until Luna came… I knew she was my sister, it was just instinctive. So I nurtured her until we were both grown enough to do something about what was happening…” Celestia leaned forward, her hands flat on the table. “Gods and goddesses we may be, but we are imperfect. Goodness, everyone knows my own taste for rough passion… But there were other gods with greater flaws than my own private bedroom preferences… There were gods made for some of the most foul and vile reasons imaginable… Hatred, fear, loathing…” She paused for a moment, her voice quivering. “Anger…”

Twilight reached out and took hold of Celestia’s hand, her own expression set in stone. Celestia clutched it firmly, nodding as she fought to continue. “My elder sister and one of my eldest brothers had met in a night of heated passion… Not uncommon, mind you… But father and mother never condoned relationships. Too unpredictable, too powerful, too unstable… This was after they left. My sister and brother made a child. Not just any child, but a child with so much anger, it nearly burned the world down…” She shuddered softly before continuing. Melody could tell she was upset by the memory…

“Lacking a proper name given to him by our mother and father, this child was named by his mother, who was known as the goddess of lies. His name was Dark Conquest. And he very nearly destroyed everything…” Lily gasped at that, her hands flying to her mouth. She looked both shocked and horrified at once, her wide eyes brimming with tears.

“You…”

“That was a different time, Lily. Hear me out before you jump to conclusions.” Melody and Verse looked between the exchange, quizzical looks on their face. Lily slowly took her seat, but she was still shaking. “Dark Conquest filled a space the world had previously not needed… He became the god of anger. More than that, his power manifested itself in flames… The kind that would burn and never go out, not until they had destroyed all that they could…” Celestia shuddered again and hugged herself.

“I had to stop him. We. We had to stop him. Luna and I found our purpose that day…” Celestia sighed. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, and burying her face in her hands. She heaved a heavy breath before continuing, her voice only slightly muffled. “The other gods, they tried everything… Lies, trickery, magic, laughter, generosity, knowledge, water, winds, they used everything they had at their disposal… Conquest couldn’t be stopped. So Luna and I combined our powers… We stood up to Conquest, and defied his will to burn. We were the first to openly oppose him directly. He tried. Oh, how he tried… But together, we sealed him, and his burning will… The event occurred on the spot his rampage began, where many dead souls still lingered behind. The area was haunted, and avoided, for a very long time. But still… We locked him away, and tried to sway his will…” She looked up at Lily, tears welling in her eyes.

“You can attest, Lily.” She said softly. “He’s changed. He’s but a shadow of his former anger…” Lily was silent for a few long moments, but she nodded.

“He certainly was… Angry… But… Well, I’m here, aren’t I?”

“You’ve no idea how thankful I am for that…” Celestia said quietly. It was then that Twilight stood up, her chair clattering across the floor as she huffed.

“Lily, come on.” She said gently. Lily stammered, but Twilight grasped her wrist firmly, pulling her out of her chair.

“Twilight,” Celestia started, but the magi whirled on her, her eyes flashing dangerously. Celestia stopped, looking at her fearfully. The look was completely out-of-place on the beautiful goddess’ face.

“I need some time with the woman I love.” Twilight said gently, squeezing Lily’s hand. Melody could feel the hum of power in the air. It was audible, vibrating, low. Like a note from a four-string bass… “Don’t deny me this, sister.”

“O-of course… I thought you might have more questions for me…” Celestia nodded her head in a sign of concession, her gaze low to the table. Twilight looked between her and the two children, both of them wide-eyed at the display.

“Some other time.” Twilight said. “But I think I’ve earned at least this much…”

“Of course.”

“Go, mom.” Melody said gently. Verse backed her up by nodding sagely, still relatively silent throughout the ordeal. “We’ll be here… Not like we’re leaving anytime soon.” Twilight nodded gently before pulling a still-stuttering Lily out of the room. The door closed silently, leaving Celestia, Melody, and Verse in hushed quiet, just the crackling of the fire…

“Sister?” Verse asked gently. Celestia glanced at him before leaning back in her seat.

“That’s… What I was getting at next… You know there are… Well, hundreds of old gods in the world. After my father and mother left, though, some of them… Well, they just started to lose their will… Gale and Hurricane flew over the northern mountains to die… More to sleep, really… Aqua swam far and away to the south, to places none of us had bothered to go yet. One by one, we all just started to… Sleep.” Celestia covered her face with her hand, groaning softly. “Heavens know I’ve wanted to do the same myself…”

“Go on…” Verse urged gently. Celestia sighed and lowered her hand to continue.

“There are gods for all sorts of things, children… Like I said, there are gods for anger, hate, trickery, lies and deceit… Gods for laughter, generosity, loyalty…” Her gaze flickered towards the door. “Magic.” Melody followed her gaze to the closed door. The door that Twilight had disappeared behind. She made the connection then. It was vague. She couldn’t put her words to it, but she didn’t need to. Celestia did that for them.

“Just like you two did with Gale and Hurricane. Together, you two resurrected the goddess of Magic. She now resides within the body of Twilight Sparkle. My elder sister… Ephemira.”

“Are we…” Melody swallowed, trying to process all that had just been said. “Are we destined to do that for all the gods?” She asked. Celestia shrugged at the head of the table. The realization sunk in. They had resurrected three gods already… Could they do more? After Celestia’s story, would they want to do more? Celestia’s facial expression betrayed she was pondering that same question.

“Perhaps. For all I know, your purpose in life was to bring back the gods of the four winds and Twilight… It could be that you’re just acting out of instinct, or maybe it was chance… For all I know, you brought Ephemira back by mistake.” She sighed and leaned back in her chair gently. “Though I am glad she’s back… That is one sister I regretted putting to sleep…”

“You… Wait, what?” Verse said gently, looking at her with wide eyes. His expression matched Melody’s. Celestia sighed and gestured for them both to move closer. Hesitantly, they took the two chairs closest to Celestia, staring at her with shocked expressions.

“It was when my sister was being possessed by anger… Dark Conquests’ influence had surrounded her. She was beginning to get angry that everyone slept through the night, her beautiful night, and was out and about during the day… It seemed none appreciated her work, or her splendor… So she began to scorn them, to fill with rage. You know the story of Nightmare Moon, correct?” She asked, looking between them both. Of course they did. It was one of the first Twilight had told them as children. They both knew it, and the outcome, well.

“Well… I had to send her to see our sister, Luminescence… The moon. Yes, another goddess, though long asleep… As with Solaris, our brother, who is the sun… That’s why Luna and I must guide them through the sky. They sleep, and haven’t been awoken in thousands upon thousands of years. Anyways. It was at that time that the elements of harmony were alive and well. They had names, faces, bodies… They looked like you or I. Avian, magi, human… Didn’t matter. But they held within them a very special power. And they were very, very tired… They knew Nightmare Moon’s endless night couldn’t be stopped without their power, but they couldn’t do anything as they were so tired… So, I helped them into rest…”

“While they were asleep, their power was mine to use as I saw fit. So I banished Luna to the moon, giving her a thousand years to think over her mistakes. Trust me, that’s a paltry amount of time compared to how long we’re going to live… I’m over seven thousand myself. I have a long, long life ahead of me yet.” She smiled at their concern, laying a hand on either of theirs with a gentle pat. “Since then, though, they have manifested themselves in two forms… One, the necklaces we keep stored in Canterlot… The other, is what I personally refer to as a seed… The seeds of the elements of harmony have passed from person to person for a thousand years. They would settle in a suitable host, live there with them, the embodiment of their element, and then move on to another once they passed… As luck would have it, they were all close together when the return of my sister was imminent. Ever since her entrance exam, I knew Twilight to hold the seed of magic. Ephemira’s seed. Previously, Ephemira had existed in the harpie’s Clutchmother. Before her, Starswirl the Bearded. Before him, a dragon by the name of Tyranistus. I can name off the names and races of all who have held the elements prior to their current holders.”

“Woah…” Melody said softly. “So when the time came,”

“I sent Twilight to Ponyville to re-unite with the other elements. They say the six of them have been drawn together in one form or another over the years, but I’d like to think without sending Twilight to Ponyville, they wouldn’t have been together for the return of my sister. Could I have handled her? Easily. But what would she have learned from it? Next to nothing. It would have been dear old Celestia and Luna squabbling yet again… Seeing her six old friends unite against her under the guise of the six current wielders of harmony, Luna learned a very valuable lesson that day…” Celestia smiled gently. “Any more questions? It is getting late, and I do need to put… Heh… Solaris to bed, so to speak.” Melody shook her head, and Verse followed suit. “Aah. Very well, then… It’s been a long week, you two. You should get some early rest. I dare say your mothers would be worn out by now…”

Melody and Verse chuckled as they stood. After all they had been through, they were both still exhausted. Sleep sounded like what Melody needed right then... She yawned and stretched, and Verse mirrored her.

“Oh...” Melody said, as they were on their way out. She and Verse hesitated in the doorway, looking back at Celestia. “You said you and Luna were technically the goddesses of benevolence...” Celestia smiled when she caught on to their train of thought.

“Aah. What happened in Nest. Yes, Luna and I make sure that those in power, those who rule over others, use their responsibility properly. Sometimes, though...” Celestia’s words trailed off for a moment. Her eyes shifted from them to the fire, crackling and popping softly in the hearth. “Sometimes, you have to let them hurt their followers... Else history will never learn a lesson...”

------------

“Lemme go,” Dash groaned, fidgeting.

“Shush. Your wings are damaged. You need to recuperate.” Mathias scolded her, slapping her wrist as she pulled at the bandages over her ribcage.

“Ugh. To think. You got to see me naked.” Mathias rolled his eyes and smoothly shifted from his usual human self, a stocky, tall courier that many changeling spies favored, into a perfect replica of a nude Rainbow Dash. “Ooh… You bastard.” She muttered. “Only No-…” She stopped, letting the name hang unspoken in the air.

“Trust me, Rainbow Dash.” Luna’s soft voice came from where she sat at her desk. The past two nights, she had worked from the room, receiving periodic updates from Rainbow Dash about what was happening via the link. And ensuring the brash general didn’t overstep the bounds of her recovery. Papers shuffled as the beautiful princess of the night continued in a lazy, slightly bored drawl. “We know full well of your relationship with Noth.”

“Wha-?! How?!” She sat up, drawing a hiss of pain and a tsk of scorn from both herself and Mathias. Insistently, the changeling pushed her back down to her stomach, and she didn’t resist. “How do you know…?” Dash groaned, burying her blushing face into the pillow underneath her.

“You only groaned his name in a half-orgasmic sense of delirium for the first two nights after Twilight’s revival.” Mathias muttered, carefully plucking a bloody feather from Dash’s wings. Thanks to the numbing ointment, she didn’t feel a thing as he discarded the bloody down feather into a bin full of similar feathers. Dash was long overdue for a preening.

“He speaks the truth, general.” Luna said, peering over the rim of the glasses at the scene. Mathias, on his knees, straddling Rainbow Dash’s waist, and General Dash, the brash and callous avian commander, lay spread out half-naked on Luna’s bed, her injured wings spread wide as she received some much-needed medical attention. Were the situation not so delicate, Luna might have shed her mid-thigh length dress and joined them. Her own wings felt slightly neglected in light of the careful touch Mathias was showing Rainbow Dash. Instead, she settled for teasing the prostrated avian.

“You’ve ruined more than one set of my sheets, growing wet as you unconsciously fingered yourself, moaning his name in your delirium.” She pushed the glasses up her nose, watching as Dash’s face turned up to look at her, blushing brighter. “’Oh Noth! Not there! Aahn! You’re so naughty!’ I swear, every night for four nights straight.” Her full lips curled into a smile as Dash sputtered, obviously fighting the urge to raise back up and defend her honor.

“Y-yeah, well…” She was struggling. Luna watched, amused, as the poor woman fought for words. “At least I don’t wear glasses!” Luna chuckled and pulled the slender frame off of her face, twirling them by one of the long arms.

“What, these? Come now, Rainbow Dash. You know everyone has a secret librarian fetish.” She replaced the glasses and went back to reading the most recent report. Something about a lack of proper toiletries on the frontlines. She made a note to file a supply order with Fillydelphia for more and moved on to the next.

“Huh. Tell me about it, Pinkie…” Dash muttered from the bed. Luna looked up.

“Hmm?”

“Nothin’.” Dash grunted, laying her chin on the pillow. “Pinkie was just saying how she knew a certain purple-haired librarian more than a few people have got the hots for.” Luna smiled softly as Dash spoke, setting the report down on the desk.

“How is she doing today, by the way?” Luna asked softly. Dash looked up at her for a moment before her vision sort of… Faded… Luna recognized it as the expression they took on whenever they were going into the link, to converse with the other elements. She returned momentarily, smiling softly.

“She’s good. Said she felt good enough to try out some extra-curricular spells on Lily last night. I’m guessing from her absence, they worked.” Luna chuckled and resumed reading the report. “That, and they say the restoration of Eyriewatch is underway. Celestia herself will oversee it, up to a point, before installing a new commander and returning.” Dash went silent for a moment, but resumed talking. “Twilight says to tell you Celestia knows you can hold out on your own for another week. At least five days, but no more than eight.” Luna stared blankly at the report for a few long moments before setting it down.

“I believe so. But she’ll need to do her part from Eyriewatch. I can’t fight a war and command the heavens all at once.” She said after a few long moments. Dash nodded and laid her head down, but continued to speak. Her voice was slightly muffled by the soft pillow.

“She’s making fun of you for being ‘too weak.’ You guys are mean towards each other, aren’t you?”

“Tell her if she insists on flaunting my weaknesses, I’ll tie her up and make her watch as I violate Twilight.” Luna said, shifting her legs so her right was crossed over her left. Both Rainbow Dash and Mathias stared at her, wide-eyed. Luna peeked over the rim of her glasses with a serene, lusty sort of smile. “What? Tell her.” Rainbow Dash groaned and laid her head back down as Mathias shook his own and went back to preening her injured wings gently.

Luna smiled and let her thoughts wander to Twilight… Her new sister.

Dash only took another two days to recover. Four days after the incident, she was well enough to fly again. Luna called her into her office one early morning, explaining her plans.

“You’re sure about this?” Dash asked. Luna looked up at her, still wearing the glasses. Why? She said they looked sexy. Dash had to agree.

“Well, there are stipulations, of course. You’ll have to remain a liaison between us and the changeling spy force, but I have plans to re-allocate that particular branch of our service to Eyriewatch with you. Be careful, you saw how heated the battle was. Other changelings may have survived.. When Celestia arrived, it was still raging. Shit, it’s only because of her and Twilight it’s even over…” She shuffled the paper. “I need Celestia back here now. It will take you a day to fly there in your condition. And I mean that, General Dash. A day. No less.” Dash groaned, but inside, she was thankful. Her wings still ached. “Fly to Eyriewatch with our main avian force. Now that we have the borders of Canterlot sealed, we no longer require that much air support. Anything in the sky without clearance dies.” She signed the top sheaf of paper and set it aside, picking up another. Wars required a lot of paperwork, apparently…

“And when I arrive?”

“Celestia and I have agreed to appoint you Eyriewatch commander. Under your command, we will push the Chimera back into their homeland. Your primary objective is to run flanking maneuvers through Featherhome and into Hearth, drawing the chimera’s attention from their western front. When they are weakened from your feint, we attack, and drive them back home. That way, we need only worry about the changeling threat… Once the chimera see how strong we’ve become, that we haven’t forgotten about them, they will back off. Always have throughout the ages. Any questions, Rainbow Dash?” Luna asked, peeking at her again over the rim of her glasses. So. Sexy…

“None, milady.” Dash straightened her back and saluted crisply. Luna nodded and she dropped it, spinning on her heel to leave the musty office.

“Oh, and Dash?” Luna stopped her just as Dash was about to exit the room. The princess hovered a slender case towards her. Hesitantly, Dash accepted it, hefting the surprisingly light case with a quizzical look. Luna gestured that she should open it. With a quizzical expression, Dash opened the case, and nearly choked at what she saw. Glasses.

“P-princess, I-“

“Wear them for Noth. Dismissed, General.”

--------------

“Melody! Can we talk?” Twilight’s voice caught her, made her turn around. Melody smiled at her mother as she descended the wide spiral staircase above her, the powerful magi advancing with a warm smile of her own.

“Of course. About what?”

“Well… I think it’s time we talk a little bit more about magic. I think I may have figured out how you and Verse do what you do.” Melody’s heart nearly stopped. She stuttered for a moment, but Twilight insistently pulled her into an interior door. Stumbling a little, Melody followed, catching her balance after a few steps. Twilight descended another staircase three levels and then swept into one of the few libraries Eyriewatch sported. It seemed Twilight could almost always be found in one of these.

“Sheesh. Okay, no need to be rough. Shouldn’t Verse be here for this?” Melody asked, rubbing her wrist. Twilight shook her head and started pulling books off of the nearby shelves with her magic, dozens of them floating smoothly onto the nearby tables.

“I already spoke with him. Tell me, what are the components of any spell?” Twilight said. Straight out of the textbook, Melody began quoting.

“Spell-form, energy, willpower, verbal, material, geo-disic, and soul.” She said.

“Explain each in simpler terms.” Twilight was no longer her mother. She was her teacher now. And Melody was the student.

“The spell-form is the pattern we draw when we cast the spell. These are the most common ways to cast spells. They are reliable and last for a long time. Energy is our own magical force that we each command, or how much power we have at our disposal. Willpower, often mistaken with energy, is a magi’s determination. How badly he or she wants the spell to work. Verbal, not often used-“

“Why?” Twilight cut in. Melody didn’t miss a beat.

“There’s magic in words, and as such, magi aren’t the only ones that can use verbal spells. Anyone who knows the proper incantation can speak the words and cast the spell. Magi use verbal spells very sparingly, because they are dangerous, require great practice to use properly, and could result in loss of life if misused.”

“Right. That’s how I lost my leg. You see, as soon as I tried to teleport from the tower, I was hit from behind by a tackle. I stuttered the last word, and it killed me.” Melody grimaced. She knew the implications of mispronouncing a word in a verbal spell. Seeing it tied in to the bloody result, though, had helped drive the point home. Don’t stutter. “Continue.” Twilight said gently.

“Material is just that… There are physical objects that can be utilized or consumed to create a spell-effect.”

“Give me an example.”

“Writing a spell-form in powdered obsidian properly will result in the spell-form having it’s effect in both the physical and the nether plane.”

“Meaning?”

“Whatever spell cast will happen both here, as we see it, and in the nether.”

“What is the nether?”

“A separate plane of existence, parallel to this one, and identical in terms of topography and landmarks. Some argue it’s where we go when we die, and when the two overlap, you can see the deceased. In reality, it’s a separate plane of existence with different creatures and beings.”

“Correct. Continue.”

“Geo-disic is just the location on this plane of existence. Some places are intrinsically more powerful than others, and will lend their energy or unique properties to the spell cast. The last, and most forbidden, is the soul component.”

“Why is it forbidden?” Twilight asked a very serious question. Melody faltered. The first time yet.

“Because…”

“Because…?”

“Because utilizing your soul in a spell means you can create life.” Melody answered.

“Correct again. Good, now, listen.” Twilight turned around, holding in her hands a book. Melody glanced at the spine, but saw it was blank. “This is a book I wrote just last night. Compiling the knowledge I’ve received, I made this.” She set it on the nearest table, beckoning Melody over. “Changeling magic is a form of…?”

“A combination of Willpower, Energy, and Material.”

“Exactly. They will themselves to take on the form, they use their energy to accomplish it, and their clothes change thanks to an effect known as ‘Temporal Storage.’ Here’s the thing, though… What’s a magi’s power based off of?”

“Energy.” Melody answered. Energy was rather versatile. Spell-forms could be activated with energy, and many other similarities. Levitation and telekinesis were two forms of energy-based spells. It was common magical knowledge that magi only utilized energy to work their magic.

“Wrong.” Twilight grinned as Melody furrowed her brow. She seldom missed questions. “Magi’s powers are a combination of all forms… This I know, because technically, I created them…”

“Wh… How…?”

“Ephemira.” Twilight said gently, tapping her temple. “She granted the first humans their magical abilities, giving them the same components you described.” Twilight leaned in a little closer. “All of them.”

“So… A magi’s magic is a combination of every known component? Including…”

“Including soul.” Twilight nodded. “Every time a magi uses their magic, they are using a small portion of their soul. That is why they each have a different colored field, and have different specialties. Why one magi might be proficient in casting illusions and visions, while another’s talents might lie in healing. What is a soul, by magical definition?” There was controversy here… Many believed a soul to be a person. Magically, that is to say scientifically, a soul was-

“A collection of a person’s unique thoughts and environmental developmental aids. If every person grew up in the same time at the same place and all experienced the same things, they would, intrinsically, be the same. But we’re not. We’re born at different times, raised in different places, experience different things… So our experiences, our unique upbringing, is what makes us unique. What makes us, us.”

“Correct. The way you were raised, your environmental stressors, your education, your life… Compacted into data and stored at the back of your brain.” Twilight tapped Melody’s temple, her magic setting off a small static shock. Melody flinched. “Data. That’s what your soul is. Data.”

“Okay, so…”

“Changelings… Cannot change their souls.” Twilight continued, tapping the book she had written. It was all cryptic, Melody knew, but she would understand it in time. “Magi cannot change their appearance… At least, not in the unique way that changelings do. But they can use their souls…” Melody began connecting the dots… She blinked, the gears turning. Twilight put her thoughts to words.

“Because you are a changeling and a magi… You can use magic to change your soul. Melody, you and Verse are re-populating the old-gods… Not by some act of divine providence, but by-“

“By becoming them.” Melody’s eyes went wide as her gaze met Twilight’s. “By shifting into the old gods.”