//------------------------------// // Chapter 16 // Story: Darkness of the Eclipse // by Silverstream233 //------------------------------// By the time Luna returned, the mane six and Trixie were waiting by the Cutie map, looking worriedly at each other. When she entered, they ran to her side. "Luna, where were you? We went to your chambers and you were gone!" Twilight exclaimed. "I just needed some fresh air," Luna said. "I'll be sleeping now. Perhaps I could walk in my sister's dreams tonight..."She walked off without another word, aware of her friend's worried eyes following her as she left the hall. Luna curls up on her bed, carefully tucking her injured wings and closed her eyes, ready to walk into dreams. She walks past a series of doors and reaches the one at the end of the hall, the one with the distinct sun pattern on it. When she opens it, the surrounding area is shroud in darkness. "Sister! It's Luna! Are you here?" Luna called out in desperation. "Luna! Are you alright? I-I can't reach you!" A voice called out from the darkness, barely audible. "I'm fine. Sister, are you alright? Where are you?" Luna took one step into the pitch blackness. "Don't, Luna! It won't do any good if you are trapped in this darkness! Are you sure you're ok? She told me she had hurt you." Celestia cries. Luna didn't reply, shame coursing through her body. "Luna?" Celestia asked anxiously. "I'm fine. It's nothing...Trixie knows special healing spells. I'll be fine in a day or two," Luna mumbled, not sure of herself. "Don't worry, dear sister. I'll get you out of this mess. I promise I'll be strong. Do you believe in me?" Luna says. "With all my heart, dear Luna! You can be strong,even without me by your side, I know you can." Celestia replies. Luna longed to find her sister and give her a hug, but she knew Equestria needed her. "Good night sister...be safe wherever you are. You'll be free soon." She backs away from the dream door and closes it. Unfortunately many ponies seemed to be having nightmares tonight, so she had to visit many dreams and comfort them, using her magic to chase away nightmare creatures. By the time she was finished, it was nearly dawn...or so it should be. She blinked awake and peered out her window to see ponies clearing away the snow. She gets off her bed, straps on a small bookbag Rarity had given her for her last birthday, and heads for the main hall where Twilight had called a meeting. When Twilight offers her her seat, she kinda states that she'll stand. "Luna, do you have any idea how this...Asteria came to be?" Applejack asked. "I do have one theory. Do you ponies remember the Pony of Shadows?" Luna responded. The mane six exchanged looks remembering that frightening experience inside the old castle of the two sisters. "Yes, we do, but we figured out it was Pinkie pie all along," Twilight says. "She was playing the organs." "Strange...that day I visited the castle, I felt some other presence with me and it wasn't Rainbow Dash and Twilight. Its very likely that when you defeated the darkness inside me as Nightmare moon, not all of the miasma was destroyed," Luna said. "Miasma?" Fluttershy shrank back in her chair, her eyes fearful. "The miasma is a powerful force of darkness, but without another pony to take over, its vulnerable. My sister told me the story of the miasma on the night I returned. I don't know Asteria's side of the story, though I'm sure you're as curious as me. Trixie," Luna turned to the blue unicorn. "How long will my wing heal?" "I'm not sure," Trixie replied. "Most pegasi wings..or in this case alicorn wings should heal naturally, or else um...why else would we have hospitals?" She shuffled her hoofs uneasily as everypony gave her looks. "I'll do my best, princess," Trixie dipped her head. "My magic will only take another day to regain. I'm sure Asteria had planned this out to purposely weaken me, especially when Black Ember himself did it," Luna's brows furrowed. "My cousin?" Trixie gasped, her eyes widening, then her shock turned to anger. "I should have known he would be up to no good!" She suddenly turned and ran out the door. Confused, everypony followed her. "Trixie? Are you ok?" Lyra heartstrings padded forward towards her. "Black Ember has betrayed Equestria!" Trixie skidded to a halt and shouted. Ponies made their ways out from their doors and gasped, muttering to themselves. "How do you know this?" Mrs.Cake asked. "Luna saw herself! Black Ember deliberately injured the princess with a rock fall. He's sided with Asteria!" Her voice was so full of anger that even Twilight and her friends looked surprised. "What? You mean me?" A voice called out innocently. Everypony gasped and stared at the black unicorn standing near the fountain. They quickly stepped away, leaving him a path to walk. Ponies pulled their fillies close as he walked. Trixie's horn began to glow brilliantly. "Get out of here! Traitor!" She pawed at the ground, her nose flaring. "Uh, Trixie...you might wanna calm down..." Fluttershy said, taking a cautious step forward. "You want to fight me, little cousin? You've never beat me, not even when we're practicing." Black Ember sneered, a smirk on his face. Trixie charged foward, her horn shooting out sparks. Black Ember's horn glowed a dark red. "Enough!" Luna's magic surrounded a blue round shield around Black Ember and Trixie. She pulled Trixie back towards the others and dropped Black Ember on the ground. "Leave, Black Ember. Go back your mistress and tell her that the next time I face her, I will not fall again," Luna took a step towards him. "Really, princess? With only one wing? I would like to see you do that!" He sneered. This time Twilight and her friends stepped forward. "How dare you talk to her that way? Let go of me Applejack!" Rainbow Dash tore her tail out from Applejack's mouth and sprang at him. He vanished in a flash of light, leaving Rainbow Dash to crash onto the ground. Grumbling, she got back up and scanned the crowd. "Where'd he go?" She demanded. Luna placed her good wing on the pegasus's back. "He's gone and if he returns, you may attack all you want," Luna said. Just then, Shining Armor and Princess Cadence appeared, their mane matted and they were breathing heavily. "Are you two alright?" Twilight ran forward to meet them. "These shadow creatures are nasty creatures. They turn into smoke and attack you out of nowhere," Shining Armor replied. "Princess Luna! Your wing..." Cadence began, but Luna shook her head. "I'm fine," She reassured her. "I'm sorry to say this, your highness, but we may have to return to the Crystal Empire. The snow has stopped and I'm worried about the crystal ponies. They're vulnerable without us to protect them," Shining Armor looked away uncertainly. "I'll go, Shining Armor. You stay and protect Ponyville," Cadence spread her wings, ready to find her guards. "Be careful, dear!" Shining Armor called as she flew off. Luna waited until the ponies had their backs to her, as they waved at Cadence, then headed towards the Everfree. She blasted timberwolves away as she approached the old castle. Asteria had abandoned it and had decided to stay in Canterlot. Luna made her way through the castle and headed towards the hall she had not stepped a hoof in over a thousand years. She opened the door to her sister's old room, brushing away cobwebs. There were books scattered everywhere and a wide round bed similar to the one in Canterlot on the floor. There was also a journal, dust covering its title. Luna blew it off and her eyes widened as she read the title. "The Journal of the two sisters," By Luna and Tia. Emotion flowed into her eyes as they glittered. She slips the book inside her bag and looks around at the books. "Oh Luna, to what do I owe this pleasure?" A hauntingly familiar voice startled her. She whipped around and came face to face with Asteria.