//------------------------------//
// Compassion 
// Story: Believe in the Heart of the Moon 
// by HeartlessSpartan 
//------------------------------//

					Compassion

Tullius sat on what would seemingly be considered the floor of the void he traveled in. He stared and the earth pony sleeping calmly on the floor in front of him; wondering if somewhere deep inside its mind, what kind of turmoil Terra might be going through. To be stuck in his own mind with endless memories that most others would prefer forgotten. Relive a terrible past just to save your friend; what a sacrifice.

“What memories do I hide from then?” Tullius asked himself out loud.

Thinking deeply, Tullius remembered when Terra lost his battle with Discord, and all of the evil that had been locked away was released into the kingdom. After Luna was banished and imprisoned; after Terra had left in shame, there was only Celestia and Starswirl left to be the only defense.  So many ponies, so many terrified souls, all screaming as the monsters poured over the ramparts. They tore at everything, tearing through the doors, the walls, the very earth itself. The earth shook and black smoke filled the air as the sky set fire. Those who tried to escape were met with inconceivable numbers of evil creatures in the forest. 

There was a great crevice, the expanse that tore a hole in the earth in front of the castle; the quakes shaking the magnificent structures, our homes, our kingdom to pieces. The only escape was a portal cast by the great Starswirl; so many went through, many more never made it. There was something far worse than any monster seen before, a darkness that swallowed life whole. Darkness that there was no such end to, it was alive, and it was hungry.

“I couldn’t escape, petrified by fear like a coward I watched as those who followed me; trusted me for an escape from this evil. Even their screams were swallowed by it as the stone halls of the castle gradually turned pitch black, no sound, no light, no soul could escape it,” Tullius said to himself, still watching the earth pony sleep.

The darkness was inescapable; it was searching, hunting for something or someone that it could use. If you were taken you had no choice, it would consume you, put you into its service, or cast you into the pit.

“Not the pit and no mercy through the end. I was put to service, to do its bidding through time. It is truly amazing though Terra, how after all of that time and what you’ve been through; that you still have such compassion. I swear though my newfound friend, with your help I will be free,” Tullius said as he continued to watch over the earth pony.

Tullius spent three days in the void watching over the pony that was Terra’s prison. Three days of waiting, of thinking, and healing. He wondered if Terra had succeeded in convincing Nightmare Moon to return to Luna. Tullius cast the spell on Terra to release him from his prison, the earth pony transformed back into an alicorn, and the mane and tail returned to fiery waves. Terra stood up on his hooves rather quickly, which was quite surprising given how injured he was.

“It’s been three days?” Terra asked.

“It has, we’ve been in the void as cover. It hasn’t found us,” Tullius said.

“I have to get Nightmare Moon back to Luna,” Terra said hastily.

“I can bring us right into the castle,” Tullius said.

“Thank you, but after this what would you do,” Terra asked.

“Take care of Luna first,” Tullius said, standing silent as he gradually realized what was truly important over himself, are those that can still be saved.

The veil was lifted revealing the two ponies at the doors of Starswirls study in the Wizard’s Tower of Canterlot. Terra pushed open the door to see Princess Luna resting inside, laying upon the floor casting a spell that made the mural on the domed ceiling rotate the night sky. She was rather sad, not angry, perhaps she was waiting.

“Luna,” Terra said to get her attention, thinking in his mind about what the darkness had shown him when he confronted her.

“Terra, I didn’t know what to do. I hoped you would return,” Luna said softly as she stood up.

“I said I wouldn’t abandon you,” Terra said as the two brushed their heads against each other.

Nightmare Moon slipped from Terra and back into Luna. The two ponies backed away from each other and Luna’s expression changed. Spending three days talking over a compromise, there was a condition for Nightmare Moon’s submissive return to Luna. She knows she is loved, and would still be loved; however to give herself up she tested Terra. If Terra loved Luna enough that he could let her go in order to save her, to end whatever relationship he had with her, Nightmare Moon would go without resistance. It was the only way to do it, and the choice was made.

“Why,” Luna asked herself.

“You would have died any other way,” Terra said sadly.

“I should have followed you,” Luna said.

“It was best that you didn’t,” Tullius said as he entered the room.

“What happened?” Luna asked worriedly, sensing the evil within Tullius.

“A great evil is now hunting Terra and I have a plan to stop it. I just need his help,” Tullius said.

“So that’s what this was, you’re bound to it aren’t you? I could hear you talking while we were in the void!” Terra exclaimed.

“Not just for my freedom, if we go back we can save hundreds of lives,” Tullius said selflessly.

“Go back where?!” Princess Celestia demanded as she entered the room with several gaurds.

“Sister, I am well again. They brought her back to me, and now they wish to cease a threat against the kingdom,” Luna explained.

“This threat, what is it? How would you stop it?” Celestia questioned, suspicious of Terra’s alliance with this pony, if he is still a pony.

“We would go back to the old kingdom, to prevent this darkness from gaining power. I have studied Starswirl for a very long time, and now we have the tools to take us there,” Tullius said.

Tullius pointed up to the rotating mural on the ceiling, and used his dark magic to pluck a hidden book from between two ends of the crescent moon. The book was very old, and had stars and spirals on the cover of it. He brought the book over to Luna and let her take it. Lifting his hat with a bow as courtesy; the unicorn guards in the room were shocked to see that Tullius was just an earth pony and looked worriedly between each other.

“This was hidden in a place that only Princess Luna could unlock its secrets. He left it there for Luna to decide,” Tullius explained.

“Decide what?” Luna asked, quite surprised.

“Destiny, whether or not to use it to send us back,” Terra said.

“You would go back and fight to save the lives of the past, and save those in the future? You would have to battle, and wait to see us all over again,” Luna said, a plain expression but deep down she felt worried.

“I won’t let that stand in the way,” Terra said boldly.

“I know,” Luna said rather sadly.

“You trust your new friend?” Celestia asked.

“I do, because it’s not just about him. It is about every one of us,” Terra said knowing that it was for the safety of Equestria.

Tullius looked away from Terra because he was right. After so long of planning for his freedom he finally realized that he had no escape. That all he could do is save the lives he abandoned and Terra feels the same way. It is different however, that Tullius cannot redeem himself for all the terrible things he’s done in service of this evil. What drove him into madness, to kill without question has brought him face to face with a creature more troubled than he was. Terra’s sacrifices and lack of hesitation to do so showed him that any amount of compassion is worth what is lost for it. That alicorn gave up his love to protect it, and now he’s willing to risk his life to save all of them.

“We would travel through a portal created by Starswirl, and I know of one. That book has a spell within it that allows Luna to open the portal at this end for a few seconds at most. If we ever do get back, use that book to summon us at a specific event,” Tullius explained how it would be done.

“What event?” Luna asked.

“If I go back, I will do what I can. When the empire returns safely, that is when we can return as well,” Terra said looking into Celestia’s eyes.

“It will be done,” Celestia said, knowing of the neighboring empire that had fallen before their kingdom did.

Luna searched through the book, glancing at all of the unknown spells and potions written within. She stopped when she found a page with her cutie mark on it. Whatever Starswirl knew of the future he certainly expected her return in order to accomplish this. Something troubled her though, deep within she didn’t want Terra to leave again. He may not come back when summoned, and would be forced to wait another thousand years. Terra had dealt with Nightmare Moon, and she drove her to make a decision.

“I will send you back when you are ready,” Luna said plainly.

The room was silent for an uncomfortable amount of time. Luna glared between Tullius and Terra. Celestia watched her sister closely, these are troubling times now, and Nightmare Moon was just returned to her; there’s no telling what may have changed. The guards in the room waited idly by dressed in their flashy suits made specifically for the Gala, anxiously waiting to see what happens.

“I will return, I promise,” Terra said quietly to Luna, and there was a saddening silence afterwards.

“When we go through, be ready for a fight because we’ll be right in the thick of it,” Tullius said.

Luna didn’t say anything; she just cast the spell that opened a blue and black spiraling portal that Tullius stepped through. Terra stepped up to the portal and looked back at Luna, who gazed back at him without expression. He then went through without saying anything further, the portal closing behind him.

Celestia dismissed the guards to resume their patrol at the Gala and walked with her sister through two glass doors which replaced the window and out onto the balcony to overlook the city. Looking at her sister Celestia noticed that she stared blankly out at the night.

“Something is troubling you my sister,” Celestia pointed out.

“So much has happened, and I wonder if it is all because of me,” Luna said.

“What of Terra?” Celestia asked.

“I do not know if I care for him any longer,” Luna said coldly.

“I am sure your heart will choose when the time is right, I’m sure you will make the right decision,” Celestia said calmly.

“I wonder if he can,” Luna said in reply.

“The future holds many secrets, we can all hope that they are successful in stopping this threat,” Celestia said.

“He promised,” Luna whispered.

“All the promises I know that Terra has made thus far, not a single one of them has failed. He still loves you sister, just as I do. Now I must return to greet the guests,” Celestia said just before leaving.

Luna remained on the balcony looking over the city. Even Nightmare Moon could admit she still loved him, and it was amazing how much heartbreak Terra could take. Although, perhaps it is a matter of heartbreak; this worried her. Is there a chance that she just sent Terra to his death because of what she had chosen, and he was willing to die, for what more did he have to lose? Standing straight and tall, through her might and royal gracefulness, these thoughts still made her begin to cry.