//------------------------------// // 8. Inside the Old Castle // Story: Day of Meetings, Night of Hate, and Adventures // by Krz //------------------------------// Ivory joined the rest of the group on the other side, they were looking at Old Castle, but she noticed something unusual about Luna appearance. Celestia was happy, and excited "The Elements, they are so close". She run to the front of the castle, then turned back, and noticed that other mares were still close to the bridge, looking at something or somepony ?. Mayor scratched her chin, blinked few times, then finally burst out laughing, other ponies looked at her, though immediately all attention has been turned to Luna. "Um ? Is something wrong ? " Confused pegasus looked at other ponies, then she turned back "Waaaa !! ".Luna's tail was small, barely visible, Coco went to dark blue pegasus "It's not only your tail, your mane is completely gone ". "I'm bald !? ". Luna eyes were wide as afternoon sun, she started to run in circles. "Your wings also are tiny " Cloudchaser added. "It was probably from that flower " Colgate said, looked at Mayor who was still smiling "I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh ". Ivory bowed. "I guess, but it's okay, since I was laughing at you Miss Mayor ". Dark pegasus was blushing "Though, that's kinda stupid way to lose mane, and tail, I mean i just ate that flower..." "Greetings to you, bald hero Luna ! " Celestia was giggling like a filly. "Ohaha, very funny Tia, maybe we should go for the elements ? ".Luna left eye was twitching "But you smile Lulu" Celestia added quickly, and Luna stuck out her tongue at unicorn. "After this, we will have to look for a way to bring your mane, tail, and wings back to normal ". Cloudchaser was looking at Celestia "Is it even possible ? ". Persian blue pegasus looked at Luna. "If i knew how this flower was called, it would be possible...probably ". "AH ! You said probably ! ". "It's your imagination Lulu....let's go inside the castle ". All six Ponies stood in front of the castle, they looked at damaged left wall, damaged roof, there was no door, "Ready ? " Celestia asked, Coco gulped "I'm not sure ". Cloudchaser,and Mayor put hooves on her back. "You're with us, you don't need to be afraid ". Coco lips formed a smile, and they entered the castle, inside at the center of the room, stood statue with five arms, on each arm stones. "Are those the elements ? " Colgate asked,and took a glance at Celestia "Yes...they are inactive though ". "So what now ? ". Cloudchaser asked. "Can you take them off ? ". Cloudchaser flew to the stones, and put them on the floor "Man, they're heavy ". Mayor took a closer look at the stones "Wait, there is only five elements, where is sixth element ? ". "The Book said something about spark, a spark will cause the sixth element to be revealed , when the five are present". "And what it means ?" Colgate looked puzzled. "I'm not sure, but you better stand back " Celestia looked serious, and her horn started to glow in yellow. "Let's leave her alone girls, she need to concentrate " Mayor said, and the ponies started to go outside. At the same time Celestia was already pointing her horn towards the elements, until dark purple cloud started to swirl around stones "What ? ". She straight away jumped into swirl, and they were gone. Five ponies returned, they were all confused "Where are they ? " Mayor was looking around. "Did you see that dark cloud ? ". Coco said. "Hey look there ! " Luna pointed toward different part of the castle, visible from the room they were in. "Let's go!" With Mayor words they set off after her friend, and the elements. Celestia has been teleported with The Elements of Harmony. When she stood up, in front of her was incarnation of hatred, "Bleeding Heart "Tia stamped her hoof angrily. "It's you my subject, do you still hope to wield the elements ? ". Celestia eyes stared into the eyes of her enemy "I can beat you without elements " she smiled, her eyes were full of determination. "What ? Thou want to fight ? " Celestia was silent, but she was still staring deeply into her opponent eyes "You will meet the same fate as the blue mare who tried to oppose me in Canterlot ". White unicorn smile disappeared "Blue Mare ? You mean Lady Trixie Starlight Sparkle ?". "Hm, so that was her name ? " Celestia stamped again, her horn was shining in yellow, and her lips formed a smile. "Is this excitement ? " Bleeding Heart looked again at white unicorn standing in front of her "You dare to attack US !? " upon finishing her sentence Alicorn body was surrounded by purple aura "Come little pony, come and show us your magic ! " Celestia power raised, and she was now surrounded by her own yellow aura. "Interesting ". "In a few seconds, that demeanor of yours will change, I can guarantee you that Bleeding Heart ! " When Tia's aura disappeared,she started to run, and after few seconds when she was really close to her foe, she teleported. Bleeding Heart looked around ruined room, until Celestia showed in front of Alicorn, and started to pummel her hooves into enemy face, Alicorn body wasn't moving an inch, fact was that only her head was in waving motion, to avoid attacks, once from left, once from right. Celestia continued to attack with her front hooves, until she noticed that Bleeding Heart had evil grin on her face, white unicorn teleported, and in the next moment Bleeding Heart face was blown away, from behind her, Celestia was attacking with her hind hooves, though it was only blow alicorn received, she again was avoiding attacks with waving her head. Suddenly Celestia was blasted away by magic shock wave, she break through the wall, and was lying in pile of rubble in the other room. "This is not the way you can defeat me ! I'm not that kind of enemy !". Celestia was moaning in slight pain, as she raised from rubble "Ugh...not a single scratch ?! " Bleeding Heart stood proudly, she was unharmed, on the other hoof Celestia cheek,and back were scratched, and her belly was bruised a little " Well maybe hoof combat was bad idea ". "Giving up ? ". "What are you talking about ? " Celestia blue-pink mane began to flow, when under her hooves magic circle appeared, and she was once again surrounded by yellow aura. ''That is a lot of magic little pony, I see you're prepared to lose ". "This attack will knock you off your hooves " . "If you're so confident, why your tone is so anxious ". "It's your imagination ! " White unicorn began her assault, magic missiles were flying very fast toward the foe, which was surrounded by cloud of dust, area around them was trembling caused by Tia magical attack. There was short silence after the offensive, the only audible sound was Celestia's rapid breathing "D-dit it w-work ? ". Clouds were swept away by Alicorn wings "I'm afraid it didn't ". "N-no..what ? " Celestia started to shake. "Oh little pony, Did you really thought that you could defeat me like this !? Oh I like that face of despair, I told you that without elements you can't do anything to me, and since elements don't work on mortals, you better surrender now ". Alicorn flew onto Celestia, and pinned her down to the floor. "Are you afraid ? Do you despise me ? " Celestia was struggling to get free, but every time she wanted to move, Bleeding Heart was hitting her into stomach, every blow was stronger than previous one, causing Celestia to groan louder after each blow, from the left corner of her mouth, a little trail of blood was running down. "Do you hate US !? ".Celestia was hit once more, the impact from the strike, shattered the elements. In Celestia's eyes, tears started to form, she closed them, and suddenly heard familiar voices. "We're coming ! ". "We'll be there in a minute Tia ! ". "N-no, don't come...please ". White unicorn voice was low, sad, resigned, Alicorn noticed that, and started to laugh, at the same time five ponies entered the room, and saw Celestia lying on the floor, behind her they noticed broken stones, The Elements of Harmony were in pieces. "Welcome little subjects !, You are about too witness a Fall, and Rise of new EQUESTRIA ". Maniacal laugh echoed through the castle.