Upheaval: Reckoning
Chapter 9: Teachers and Students
“Is there something wrong, little brother? I've given you your assignment, but you haven’t moved.”
Blue Moon stood at perfect attention while Black Rose reclined on a sofa. He was still getting used to her new appearance. Though still slender and delicate, Black Rose had more than doubled in size, and that growth was accompanied by an awe-inspiring aura of power that she unconsciously exuded. Even staring at her directly gave him a mild trembling. Whenever she stretched out her black-feathered wings, they cast a truly ominous shadow against the fire light. Nevertheless, she spoke to him with the same fondness that she did back when he was a colt, desperately trying to follow in her hoof-steps. He knew better than to feel comfortable, however. He had never seen Black Rose angry or upset, but he had seen her mercilessly bring about the deaths of hundreds of enemies.
“With your permission, I would like to understand something first,” Blue Moon replied.
“Of course, what would you like to know?”
“Celestia’s barrier is down, and Equestria is on the path of reunification. The wolven have fled, and there doesn't seem to be any imminent threats from our other neighbors. You've accomplished everything you set out to do.”
“How kind of you to say so.” Black Rose smiled, and dipped her head slightly as if Blue Moon had just complimented her mane. “However, I have not accomplished everything. Indeed, I've only won minor victories.”
“Do you really need Princess Celestia’s power for your remaining goals?”
Black Rose shook her head. For a moment, Blue Moon felt like a colt, once more failing to grasp Black Rose's plan so she had to repeat herself. “In truth, little brother, I will need more than the power of sunlight" she said. "The salvation of Equestria will require more, and I plan on drawing on every available resource to achieve it. Princess Celestia lacks the proper disposition to wield this power, at least for now. My ascendance is not a matter of ambition, but part of a very important process. You will see soon.”
It took willpower for Blue Moon to avoid biting his lip. “It’s just that I would be more at ease if the methods you used were more indicative of your goal of helping Equestria, High Commander,” he said.
Black Rose's lower lip stuck out a bit. “Come now, Blue Moon. Didn't I tell you that you may call me ‘big sister’ when we’re alone?”
Blue Moon didn't respond to that. A look of disappointment crossed his sister’s face. “I frighten you as well, do I?” she asked. “Would it put you more at ease if I told you of what I planned to do next?”
“Yes.”
“Then listen closely…”
Blue Moon remained kneeling. Terrato's magic had come upon him the moment he entered the audience chamber. It was only when the prince relented by not slaying him did he relax a little. His lack of defenses had paid off, and he could say what he had come to say without being smashed into a bloodstain.
“Before I even bother listening, you’d better explain yourself,” Terrato said. “As silly as it may sound, I’m not going to just believe that the captain of Black Rose's Thorns betrayed her on a whim.”
Blue Moon raised his head. “It was Black Rose who betrayed me, your highness!” he said. “I supported her because I believed she had the good of Equestria as her goal.” He shifted his gaze to Celestia. “I believed that the barrier was wrong, and that Equestria needed to be reunited. I even agreed with her plan to take away Princess Celestia’s power to bring about those changes. However, I cannot support her now that I've found out what she’s planning.”
“And what exactly is she planning?” Terrato asked.
Blue Moon paused. He had spent so long serving his sister, and convincing himself that he was independent of her, but it was only now that he was finally going to be able to separate the two. “Your highness, Black Rose plans to utilize the Blasphemous Rift.”
Terrato's face darkened; the only outward sign of his reaction. Next to him, Celestia clenched her jaw tightly. Blue Moon guessed that it was all she could do not to start trembling.
“How does she plan on getting in there?” Terrato asked. “Not even Celestia’s full power can open the seals placed on the Blasphemous Rift.”
“She devised a method after going through the library of Lexarius. As to what it is, I cannot say.” Blue Moon looked aside briefly. “She would not trust even her brother with that.”
When Terrato finally decided to speak, his voice betrayed nothing of the tension around him. “Dreadstep, have Blue Moon horn-locked, and imprisoned,” he said. “I want him guarded by your strongest unicorn magi at all times.”
“At once, your highness,” Dreadstep replied. He didn't even have a questioning look in his face despite all the information he had just heard.
Terrato turned towards Blue Moon. “I’m sure that won’t be a problem for you. I need to verify your information, and keep you available.”
Blue Moon bowed his head once more. “I fully expected this, your highness.”
The mortals left the audience chamber along with the guards, leaving Terrato alone with his sister. For some time, they didn't even so much as look at one another. The information was still sinking in: the audacity, the ambition, and the sheer magnitude of what Black Rose was planning…even for alicorns, it was just too much to take in at once.
“Your student has gone too far, Terrato,” Celestia said.
“I had her at pitting us against each other and stealing your power,” Terrato replied.
“Even we don’t know what Oceanus left in the Blasphemous Rift before the Eternal Herd sealed it," Celestia said. "She is basing her plans on a dangerous unknown!”
“We know that Oceanus severely harmed father with it,” Terrato said. “Now, we know that even taking your power is just one more step for her. Black Rose's ambition knows no bounds. I doubt even Oceanus or the Eternal Herd is safe.”
“You sound a little proud,” Celestia said. The worry in her tone was unmistakable.
“Maybe,” Terrato replied. He didn't meet her gaze. “I used to praise her for her grand planning, and her occasional bold gamble. She’s come a long way from clearing out ursan outposts.” He shook his head. “Regardless, I’m going to have to move more of the Legion to the Heartland so we can monitor the entrance to the Blasphemous Rift.”
Celestia frowned at this, but she stayed silent.
Including the rift where Oceanus first fell in the Heartland’s creation was an unfortunate, but necessary, evil. It lay almost at the very center of Equestria; a gigantic crevice that harbored the lingering traces of the most evil creature in existence. It was also within the rift that the first mortal ponies came forth. When Lexarius had first arrived in this world, he, and several of the highest-ranked stewards in the Eternal Herd, were tasked with obliterating any traces of Oceanus and his followers. They had succeeded in every area except for the rift. There was something within the darkest bowels of that place, something that Oceanus left behind when he and his followers desperately dragged themselves into hiding. Not even the combined efforts of the strongest stewards in the Eternal Herd could so much as move the thing. With the King and Queen unable to enter this world without annihilating half of it, the stewards channeled as much of their rulers’ divine power as possible, and sealed the thing away. Lexarius then altered the very landscape of the place to hide it from prying eyes.
Terrato looked to his sister. When Celestia took over where the insane Lexarius had failed, she placed her own safeguards over the Blasphemous Rift, hiding even the structures that Lexarius built around it away from her little ponies. The Heartland had no need of any reminder of a conflict none of them should be involved in. Let Oceanus be hidden away until the time of his final defeat arrived.
There was still one more puzzle to Black Rose’s plan. How was she going to get inside the rift? Black Rose was a cunning, manipulative mare with the power of an alicorn princess, but the seals that barred her way were beyond even the power of sunlight. “Celestia,” he said.
It took a few seconds more before Celestia realized that he calling her attention. “Yes?” she asked.
“Perhaps it’s time to bring the Eternal Herd into this. Luna and I can open a gate and--”
“No!” Celestia's tone brooked no argument. “If we call for aid, that zealot, Gravitas, will have the ammunition he needs to subjugate Equestria. How much will be destroyed because of his methods? No. I will not call out to the Eternal Herd unless this world is truly on the verge of destruction.”
“You've opened a gate before,” Terrato said.
“And it was a foalish, reckless, and paranoid thing to do, even if I only called out a small number of enforcers. Gravitas will bring so much worse without any concern of what it would do to this world, or how the other heavenly realms will react.”
“I doubt that the King and Queen will not allow their general to act so rashly,” Terrato said.
Celestia’s brows furrowed. “If I could say without a single doubt that Father and Mother’s foremost concern was protecting the ponies that sprang from Oceanus, I would not have insisted on staying after we defeated Lexarius.”
Terrato shook his head. “Stubborn…” he muttered. “Fine, we’ll do everything we can to make sure that the Herd isn't involved any further. Moving on, I’m going to the Heartland soon. You should come with me. There’s only so much reassurance that Luna can provide in your absence.”
Celestia nodded. “May I ask you something, Terrato?” she asked.
“What is it?”
“Why are you separating the bearers?”
“I don’t need them together right now," Terrato said with a shrug. "They’ll serve the Legion better in their respective fields, instead of hanging out as a group doing nothing.”
Celestia frowned. “The elemental foci shattered clearly due to a lack of harmony on their part,” she said. “How can you expect them to mend their bonds if you keep them apart?”
“Because I want them to depend on each other, not be dependent on each other!” Terrato snapped. He let out a sharp exhale. “They've been together for a long time. They even got banished together. That’s all well and good, but I want them to think for themselves this time. I want them to think carefully of where they stand with all the changes in their world. If, as a group, their whole is greater than the sum of their parts, then strengthening them individually should produce greater results.”
Celestia's frown only deepened. “And what if they drift apart further?”
“They are the Elements of Harmony. Coddling them will accomplish nothing. Their bonds should be tempered with some isolation and conflict in the same way steel is tempered with fire and hammer blows.”
Celestia stomped a front hoof. “These are living ponies you are dealing with, Terrato, not lifeless weapons! Their bonds should be nurtured and sustained, not strained until they break!”
Terrato matched Celestia’s indignant glare with a hardened one of his own. “Those ponies have been under your care for a long time,” he said. “The results haven’t been good enough against what they've had to face. It’s time I took care of things my way.”
Celestia reeled. Once more, Terrato realized that he was going too far. The barrier was one thing, but for him to suggest that she had failed in properly guiding the Elements of Harmony--
"If they break from your rough treatment, there will be no turning back,” Celestia said. “Ponies aren't tools that you can just repair when broken.”
“I've ruled over ponies too, Celestia!" Terrato growled. "You've taken a look around. You weren't surrounded by broken tools, you were surrounded by an army that has stood strong throughout the centuries. I believe in my methods.”
“The greatest result of your methods knifed me with her magic and--” Celestia stopped. “Terrato, I’m sorry. I’ve been with your ponies and they’re--”
Terrato put a hoof up. He looked far away, and he spoke with a slight tremble in his voice. “My student played you like a fiddle, then took what she wanted from you," he said. "Hers is an intelligence and drive that Twilight Sparkle can only wish she had.” He walked to the doors. Before opening them, he looked back one more time at his sister. “The assignments stay. All six of them signed a contract when they joined up. If they break it by going against my orders, I will punish them.”
The doors slammed behind Terrato as he left.
“Are you alright, Princess?” Twilight asked.
“I’ll be fine, Twilight,” Celestia replied. She walked into Fangbreaker's library with six armed guards in tow, each one likely hoof-picked by the prince himself. Knowing the princess, she would have preferred a less imposing escort. Knowing the prince, he would have had none of it. When Celestia sat down, the guards positioned themselves at a distance around her. The ponies working in the library gave her and Twilight a wide berth.
Twilight took note of the choice of words. Her mentor was not fine now. She looked tired and visibly shaken. It wasn't physical exertion that weighed down on her. Twilight could only frown as she suspected its source. For all his talk about his “dearest sister”, Terrato showed about as much affection for Celestia as he would an unwanted house guest.
For the rest of the afternoon, Twilight had returned to helping out in the library while preparations were made for their departure. The prospect of returning to the Heartland, to Ponyville, left her both elated, and apprehensive. She looked forward to talking with her neighbors, and seeing all the familiar sights. The warmth of someplace that wasn't so far to the north would be most welcome. But there were also the things that she dreaded to see: how everypony would react to the returning exiles from a land of war, and seeing the Legion’s presence in their old homes. No matter how much she wished it were so, going back to Ponyville was no return to how things used to be. Soon, she would see how war would affect all of the Heartland. To make matters worse, she and her friends had a hoof in making it happen.
Being surrounded by books, however, helped set Twilight at ease. Proving their penchant for hideous atrocity yet again, the wolven had been using library books as bonfire fuel. The ones that had survived proved to be a fascinating source of information. A particularly interesting find involved Starswirl the Bearded. It was surprising to find that the two realms shared some lore. Learning about the Barrier Lands’ account of the great unicorn would be eye-opening.
That would have to be set aside for later, however. Right now, Twilight expected a talk with Celestia involving a subject she was less enthusiastic about. She moved to Celestia's side, ready to offer her support when Celestia took a seat by one of the long tables. Afterwards, Twilight took the opposing seat.
“Tell me more about this Pyre Valor,” Celestia said. “There was something peculiar in your tone when you were talking about her.”
“Pyre Valor was the first pony I ran into when I first came here,” Twilight said. As much as this topic didn't sit in well with her, she wasn't going to disobey Celestia over something like this. “Landed on, to be exact. We…we didn't get along.”
Celestia settled into her seat, and leaned closer to listen. She had to shift her weight a bit because of her size, but she was fine otherwise. “Yet, she saved your life,” she said.
“Only because I was useful to her!” Twilight replied. “We've fought a couple of times. She hates my guts, and I hate her too! But--”
The intensity in Twilight’s voice took Celestia aback. Seeing her looking even more apprehensive, Twilight stared at her forelegs, and pressed her lips together. Ever since she returned to Fangbreaker, her thoughts about Pyre had been a confused and dark cloud. She tried to think back to their fight on that rooftop, then their fight with Nightmare Moon. Her feelings were much clearer during those times: clearer and purer. She had matched Pyre’s anger with her own, and used that to fuel her spell casting. The world shrank when she fought Pyre. Everything was sharper, move vivid. She could only imagine it once the fight was over. Now, she was reminded of previous conversations with Vanguard. He had been adamant about treating Pyre as an enemy. It was only now that she really understood why. It was just so much easier. She knew what to do with a Pyre who wanted her dead. She had no idea what to make of a Pyre who saved her life.
“They’re going to execute Pyre Valor soon,” Twilight said. Throughout her reverie, Celestia had waited patiently. “They’re just waiting for the rest of Fangbreaker’s troops to arrive so every defender of the fort can see it. She’s tried so hard to kill me, and I've fought back just as hard but…I don’t want her to die. Certainly not like this!” She looked desperately towards Celestia, hoping that her mentor would know an answer to put her at ease. “I don’t understand, Princess. She’s my enemy, and she brought this on herself, but I just feel that, if she dies, I’ll lose something important!”
Celestia reached out with a hoof. Twilight trembled and closed her eyes at the touch. “It’s alright, Twilight,” Celestia said. The calm in that voice smoothed over her frazzled nerves, and quieted the confused thoughts in her mind. A tear sprang to her eyes.
Twilight opened her eyes a little. “Princess?” she asked.
“You've done nothing wrong,” Celestia said. “Showing respect, mercy, and even admiration for an enemy, is not a betrayal of what you believe in. You have seen some good among all the qualities that you dislike, think about that.”
“But she’s going to die soon…”
“Yet, not everything she is needs to die with her. Have you tried to talk to her since her imprisonment?”
Twilight’s lips pressed into a pout. “She never has anything to say to me. If I try, she’ll just call me a bothersome nag again.”
Celestia smiled. “She’s attacked you with worse, hasn't she? A few rude words should count for nothing, especially with her time so uncertain.”
Twilight’s pout disappeared. A talk would settle things somewhat. She was going to try, and she wasn't leaving that dungeon until she got something. “You’re right, Princess,” she said. “I should go right now!”
Celestia nodded, and waved as Twilight left.
With new details to consider, Terrato went through his troop placements once more. He didn't trust every word that Blue Moon said, but he had to take them into account. Regardless of what was inside the Blasphemous Rift, it was still a source of power.
He also had to consider what Celestia said. Sending even more legionnaires into the Heartland would make it look even more like an invasion. He already passed the word that Black Rose’s Thorns were active again. As he watched the night settle from a window, he remembered to warn Luna about Black Rose’s agents as well. With the Blasphemous Rift as a potential target, Luna may be closer to the fighting than originally anticipated. The door opened slowly. He didn't even need to look to know who it was. “Do you need something, dearest sister?” he asked.
“I need to make amends, Terrato,” Celestia replied. “And not just for what happened today.”
“I've already told you that I don’t want to hear it while you’re like that,” Terrato growled.
Celestia stepped farther into the room. “I am Celestia, with or without my power. Do my words still mean anything to you?”
Terrato's lips remained straight, and grim. “You’re wasting your time,” he said.
“I will stay for as long as it takes. We’ll do this your way if that is what’s necessary." Celestia closed her eyes, and lowered her head. "I will accept any punishment.”
Terrato refused to meet Celestia’s gaze. “Did you come here expecting a flogging, or a branding of some sort?” he asked. “As if I could do those things!”
Celestia’s voice softened. “We have to start somewhere, dearest brother.”
“That doesn't have much of an impact when you have only one.” Terrato snorted.
“That doesn't make it any less true.”
Terrato faced his sister at last. “Do you really have such a problem with how I’m dealing with the Elements of Harmony?”
“I’m willing to try your way,” Celestia said with a smile. “But let me have a hoof in it as well.”
Terrato matched the smile this time. “Fine, let’s see how we can work that in.”
The two of them settled down for a talk. Terrato glanced out a window as he did so, just to catch a glimpse of an especially bright moon out tonight.