Fire. The most dangerous of all elements. It took passion, it took anger, it took Maeve spelunking into the parts of her mind that she would rather not go. The air around Maeve smelled like woodsmoke; a sneezy, nose tickling smell that was distracting and made it even harder to perform magic.
“Keep concentrating. We have spent almost a week at this.”
Making no reply to Luna’s verbal encouragement, Maeve thought about the past few days. Almost perfect days. Wonderful days. Since Luna’s last nightmare, something had come over the alicorn mare, and she had been in a much better mood. A more playful mood. She had even been sleeping a little better. Distracted by happy thoughts, Maeve’s attempt at magic fizzled.
“Keep trying, Maeve. Now is not the time for giving up,” Luna commanded.
Closing her eyes, Maeve focused once more on summoning fire. She had done it before, using Lann na Gealaí Dubh. The sword made all of her magic easier. Not effortless, but easier. She thought about the anger she had felt when she had first held that blade. Winning the contest of wills had cost her a finger, her ring finger. Not long after, the killing had started.
A peculiar sensation went through Maeve’s left arm, it was almost as if she had struck her funny bone. A horrible tickle-prickle traveled up and down her arm, through her hand, and into her remaining fingers. Another shock wave went through her funny bone. Grimacing, she ignored the sensations and allowed her mind to go into dangerous places.
The little girl’s mind began to think about her blood soaked rampage. All of the death and all of the killing. All of the things she hated to think about. She thought about the whippings, the punishments, she thought about Luna’s horrible mistreatment. The scent of woodsmoke was strong now, almost overpowering, and it made Maeve want to sneeze.
Opening her eyes, Maeve pointed her left index finger at the pile of kindling and tinder. Her left arm was surrounded by a nimbus of silver blue light. It felt as though something was hammering away upon her funny bone now. Every hair on Maeve’s head stood on end.
Manifested by will, there was fire. Flames burst from Maeve’s fingertip, extending forth in a chaotic burst. There was a massive rush of heat followed by the scent of burning flesh. Not even a moment after, Maeve began screaming as her arm was engulfed in flames.
Reacting in a split second, Luna, using her magic, shoved Maeve over and began rolling her in the dirt, Maeve’s shrieks causing Luna’s ears to twitch and pivot. The pile of kindling and tinder blazed and Maeve continued to burn. Desperate, Luna contained all of Maeve’s left forearm in a telekinetic bubble and then sucked out the air, suffocating the fire.
Feeling sick, Luna surveyed the damage. The skin was blackened near the hand, covered in blisters, and it looked as though the tip of Maeve’s finger was missing. Gagging Luna, lifted the girl in her telekinesis. Maeve needed medical attention, the faster the better. The night blue alicorn turned her head towards the direction of Canterlot. Her wings unfurled and her eyes turned white as adrenaline flooded her body, triggering her strongest magics.
Maeve was still shrieking, writhing in agony, but Luna kept her still, kept her from clutching her arm and further damaging the burned tissues. One scream that came out of Maeve was so terrible that her voice cracked, and then there were only raspy cries and gurgles.
Kicking off from the earth, letting out a fierce scream of determination, Luna flew off to Canterlot, knowing full well that every second mattered.
Her vision blurred with tears, Luna looked at her sister. She felt sick to her stomach and it was a struggle just to remain on her hooves. Luna felt as though she had failed. Maeve had been hurt, maimed even, and Luna had been unable to do anything to prevent it. Swallowing several times, Luna freed her voice and spoke:
“Sister, how is she?”
Celestia’s ears drooped down, falling down beside her face. Her eyes closed as she took a deep breath, and remained closed as she pondered her words before making her careful reply.
“Luna, she is heavily sedated and will remain so for quite some time. Her hand is burned, the tip of her finger has been burned away, and the skin on her arm has been seared.” Celestia took another deep breath and her eyes opened, so that she might look upon her sister. “As you know, our restorative potions and other alchemical treatments do not work very well on Maeve. We have healed some of the damage, but we cannot regrow what has been lost, as you already know.”
“I wish to see her.” Luna took a step forward and then stood there, a pained expression upon her face. “Can I see her?”
“Doctor Greycrest has Maeve inside of a high oxygen environment. She is resting and the best thing that can be done for her right now is to allow her to rest.” Seeing the look upon Luna’s face, Celestia worried that her heart would shatter.
“Sister, please, I need to see that she is okay… just a peek through the door… I will do nothing that will disturb her, I promise.” Luna gave her sister a pleading look. “Please?”
“Very well, a peek through door. You will not be able to see her very well. There is a tent around her bed to keep in oxygen,” Celestia replied. She had hoped to spare Luna the worrisome sight, and now felt a heavy heart, knowing what Luna would see.
Pacing the hallway just outside of Maeve’s room, Luna found herself missing Red. Was Red her friend? Luna didn’t know. Do I even have friends? Luna asked herself. You keep yourself secreted away from everypony to punish yourself for what you have done. Princess Luna shook her head. She didn’t like that voice. You do not deserve friends—you tried to put an end to everything and you would have been alone, just like you deserve!
“No…” Luna gasped, her eyes flooding with tears. “I made a mistake.”
Deep down, you know exactly what you deserve… you are no better than the fae… no better than Maeve’s brutish father… you flaunt your superiourity every chance you get and you detest others for the weaknesses they have. You see their dreams. You see their sickness, you see their sick desires, you see their depravity, and you despise them all—
“I do not despise my subjects… I do not despise my subjects!” Squeezing her eyes shut, Luna shook her head. Between her ears, she could hear the caustic, sarcastic laughter of Nightmare Moon.
You loathe them, you find yourself repulsed by them, you are sickened by their perversions, yet you want their love, their acceptance, you want their approval… you are pathetic… wanting the affection of these… lesser creatures. They are not even whole entities, but three parts of a broken greater whole, yet you crave their favour—
“Shut up!” Luna whipped her head around in a violent frenzy, gnashing her teeth. She could hear the insane laughter of Nightmare Moon all around her now.
—and the doting affection upon that disgusting ape… you think by helping her that somehow you will absolve yourself of the transgressions you have committed… you foolishly think that somehow, you will silence ME!
“You… you are not even real… the Elements of Harmony destroyed you… you… you are just a voice in my head… a psychosis… you are just a voice that is the manifestation of my guilt… you are not real… you are not real!”
Is that so? We shall see… I cannot be banished. I cannot be destroyed. As long as you exist, as long as you live this lie you have chosen, I will exist—
“No,” Luna whimpered. “No, that cannot be… you were banished… you are a figment of my imagination.” Luna’s head exploded with even more laughter, maniacal, murderous laughter.
Just as that disgusting ape was powerless to stop her father’s brutish lusts, you are powerless to me. Submit to me now and make it easier upon yourself!
“No!”
Luna took off running down the hall, her hooves clattering upon the linoleum floor as she tried to run away from the mocking voice inside of her head. Fresh memories of the things done to her during her time with the fae danced inside of Luna’s mind and became part of her reality as she ran. The scent of stallions, horses, the sharp smell of salty sweat. The painful nips, the bites to the back of her neck and her ears. The crushing weight of the much heavier animals upon her back. The spearing pain that lanced through the very core of her being, the fear that she would be split, torn asunder, ripped in half, or skewered. And then the terrible reality as those fears came true. When the fae had learned that she was immortal, and that she could not die, she became a source of entertainment. The pain manifesting from memories was almost more than Luna could bear.
It was a pain that Luna knew she deserved.
On the surface, Princess Celestia seemed as calm and tranquil as always, but on the inside, she was almost overcome with stress, fear, and worry. She looked down at Doctor Greycrest and a small herd of nurses standing behind him.
“What happened?” Princess Celestia asked. “Spare me no detail, and do not try to spare my feelings either. Just tell me everything.”
“We don’t know what happened exactly. Princess Luna refuses to speak. She’s almost catatonic.” Doctor Greycrest swallowed and looked up at Princess Celestia. A bead of sweat trickled down from his mane, rolled down near his eye, and continued down his jaw to his neck. “When the guards found Luna, she was weeping. She had torn out many of the feathers from her wings, she had smashed a large stained glass window, and was using the glass to injure herself. The guards tell me she was shouting the words ‘shut up’ over and over. When the guards confronted her, she started to attack them, but then fell to the ground screaming, mumbling incoherently. The guards could not make out what she was saying. When I was called in to examine her, she fell silent, and has not spoken a word since.”
Closing her eyes, Celestia drew in a shuddering breath, a breath that almost revealed her inner turmoil and ruined her outward appearance of tranquility.
“She is healing of course, but for whatever reason, the healing process seems slow. I don’t understand it. Many of the superficial wounds and minor lacerations should have been healed already. I am at a loss for a reason why.”
“Thank you, Doctor Greycrest.” Celestia lifted her head high and summoned forth her best outward appearance. “I shall go in and try to speak to my sister. I do not wish to be disturbed. I demand privacy.”
“Of course, anything you ask, your Majesty.” Doctor Greycrest stepped aside.
Pushing open the door, Celestia looked at her sister. Luna was in the hospital bed, under a blanket. Her head was not on the pillows, but hidden beneath the blanket. Celestia entered the room and allowed the door to shut behind her.
“Luna, what have you done? Why are you not healing? Do you want to be in pain?” Celestia strode forwards toward the bed, hot tears now spilling down her cheeks. “What brought this on? Do you blame yourself for Maeve’s injuries? How come you will not talk to me? I know you have been suffering but you remain silent… why?”
Lifting the blanket, Celestia looked down upon her sister. Luna was wrapped in bandages. With horror, Celestia realised that Luna was earless. Why had Luna severed her own ears? What would she hope to accomplish with such a terrible act?”
“Luna, what has come over you? Why, why would you do this?” Celestia shook her head. “Luna, please, stop holding back, heal yourself, I cannot bear to look at you in this state.”
The large white alicorn eased herself down into the bed to lay beside the smaller blue alicorn. It was a tight fit, and parts of Celestia hung over the edge of the bed. She pressed herself up against Luna, closed her eyes, and began to sob.
“I wish you would just talk to me…”