Mirror to the Sky
Upheaval: Reckoning
Chapter 47: Mirror to the Sky
Sky Mirror Lake.
For Twilight, the name seemed to simple for what had happened and will happen here. The air was heavy with tension and the silence blanketed them like thick fog. It was as if everything was holding its breath, waiting for the confrontation about to occur.
As befitting its name, the waters of Sky Mirror Lake displayed a sheen that was clearly magical in nature. Remarkably, the water had not frozen solid. Even from a long distance, the gentle rippling across its surface was visible. The sky above them was still covered with dark gray clouds, with the early morning light struggling to shine through. The water showed that scene with equal clarity, as if there were two skies in that spot. Even with the rippling, the image was perfect. Individual clouds moved across the surface as they did the sky.
A few weeks ago, this would have been a breath-taking, smile-inducing sight. Knowledge of the Old Kingdom put a dark twist in Sky Mirror Lake’s beauty. For the water to have such mirror-like sheen, it had to reflect light very well, which meant that very little reached beneath its surface. Just how dark were the depths of Sky Mirror Lake? Twilight tried to imagine the place: a lightless, watery grave for the Old Kingdom. She doubted that even fish would reside in the crumbling ruins; if there were even fish in Sky Mirror Lake to begin with. Whatever lived in the water had to adapt to near total darkness, that and the power of Oceanus being so close. She certainly didn't want to meet those things.
Behind Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash had gathered around Fluttershy, still trying to convince her that they could find another way to draw out Gravitas and his allies. The royalty and Black Rose stood just a short distance away, eyeing the structure around the lake.
A few minutes ago, Fluttershy had explained her “Eye of Fear”. It was difficult to hear in more ways than one. First, that kind-hearted, sensitive Fluttershy held the power of a windigo was nearly impossible to believe. Second, when she saw that her audience included her worried friends and a trio of very serious-looking royalty, Fluttershy’s brave suggestion crumbled into a stammering explanation. Half embarrassed for having such an audience and half ashamed of having to tell them about the nature of her “Stare”, she squeaked and mumbled until it looked like Prince Terrato was about to explode.
It wasn't Prince Terrato’s scowling impatience that made Twilight wary, however. It was the knowing smile of his former student. Black Rose listened to the whole explanation as if she had suspected it along. She was supportive of the slowly forming plan, which made her even more suspicious. What was it going to take to put this mare out of balance? To make something happen that she didn't have as part of her plan?
Black Rose was just a few feet away from Princess Celestia. This was a veritable shipwreck within sight of land. There was an upside; Black Rose did seem a bit tired. She spoke confidently and moved with the same grace as she always did, but the smaller details were more obvious. Her speech was slower and her eyes heavier. There was also something wrong with the aura of magic around her. It was much more powerful, as was expected, but it was also clearly less stable.
Twilight wanted to attack. There was weakness here, a vulnerability she had not noticed before. Black Rose’s defenses were not perfect and her Thorns were back in Canterlot. She glanced at the royalty. They must have noticed too. There was no way they couldn't. Perhaps, Princess Celestia was so focused on General Gravitas that she couldn't be bothered to gauge the enemy before her. Perhaps, Prince Terrato was too involved with his former student to take advantage of the situation. As for Princess Luna...there was something odd going on with her too. While her siblings looked towards the structure that Gravitas had built around Sky Mirror Lake, Princess Luna was staring intently at its waters, as if seeing something that nopony else could. Twilight shook her head and focused on Black Rose again. Did she dare? What if this was a chance? If she tried, would her friends quickly guess the situation and jump in? Would the royalty help her? She let a front hoof drag against the ground in anticipation and worry. At the sound of the snow scrunching at the motion, she swiftly regretted that move.
Black Rose suddenly looked towards Twilight, as if she had felt the stare on her. To Twilight’s dismay, that annoying, confident smile widened just a little bit more. The message was perfectly clear; Come and try. The chance, that ghost of a chance, quietly slip away. Twilight would have to wait until Gravitas was dealt with.
“Is everypony ready?” Terrato asked. He addressed the question to all of them, but his eyes were on Fluttershy.
“Yes,” Fluttershy replied.
The rest looked like they weren't ready, but they nodded anyway. Twilight had her own misgivings about the plan, but she didn't quite share in the fears of the rest of her friends. She had seen Fluttershy digging into that book back in the hidden archives. She was the one who had to pull Fluttershy away from a book about the terrible things done in the Old Kingdom. It only seemed wrong to have to expose somepony as gentle and kind as Fluttershy to danger, but the greater wrong would be to try and hide her away while everypony else fought.
Twilight looked to her side and towards Pinkie Pie, the other pony who was enthusiastic about the archives. “You’re not going to talk Fluttershy out of this plan?” she asked.
Pinkie shook her head vigorously. “No,” she said. “It’s tough not being able to help as much as you want to.” She looked wistfully at Fluttershy. “I’m not taking this away from her. I just hope I get a turn later.”
Oddly enough, Twilight felt like smiling despite Pinkie Pie wishing that she’d be thrust into danger too.
“Well, it looks like there ain’t any way we can talk you out of this,” Applejack said. She clasped Fluttershy’s front hooves with hers. “Just promise me you’ll stay safe, Fluttershy.”
“Applejack, I can’t,” Fluttershy said. “Not without lying.”
The others moved back and let Fluttershy stand between the royalty.
“Don’t sound like you’re making farewells,” Terrato told the Fluttershy. “You’re off to accomplish a mission, not off to the gallows.”
“Y-yes, your highness!” Fluttershy said. She trotted over to stand between him and Celestia. “I’m ready to start!”
The stern look turned to approval as Terrato spread his wings. “Alright. There is no way Gravitas is not yet aware that we’re nearby. He’s likely pissed that none of the alicorns he sent took out their respective targets. Fluttershy, do you need to actually stare at somepony to use this Eye of Fear of yours?”
“I...I ‘m not sure.” Fluttershy looked away when the frown returned to Terrato’s face. “I don’t think so. I think I can just use it from afar and he’ll notice.”
“You think?” Terrato asked.
“W-well, I’ve never tried it before.”
Terrato’s frown deepened. “Are you sure you can even use it on command?” he asked.
The glower from the prince slowly eroded Fluttershy’s carefully built up courage. “No...but I really think I can...even if I hadn't before and...”
“Big brother, let’s just give her a chance,” Luna said. “Nopony knows much about Lok’horus’s abilities. She’s doing all of these things by instinct.”
“It sounds like a wonderful little gamble,” Black Rose said.
“Damn it, Rose...” Terrato growled. “Alright, we’ll fly a little closer, then see what Fluttershy can do. Luna, stay with the other Elements of Harmony and make sure they can join in as needed.”
All of them nodded again. Terrato, Celestia, and Black Rose, flew off with Fluttershy.
The cold clung to Fluttershy's feathers as she took to the air. Her wings felt stiff and each flap felt like the wind was trying to push her away. None of the alicorns were experiencing the same trouble. She knew why too. There was no powerful wind blowing her back or oppressive cold weighing her down. Fear of General Gravitas blew her back and doubt in what she could actually accomplish weighed her down. She would have been happier flying through an actual blizzard than dealing with these feelings, but she flew gamely on.
“This should be far enough,” Prince Terrato said.
The four of them hovered in front of the fortress. They were still around half a mile away. It was only now did Fluttershy realize that she was going to rely on Prince Terrato the most for protection. She didn't trust Black Rose while Princess Celestia was still not at full strength. The prince was intimidating, unfriendly, and outright rude, but having him in front of her was reassuring.
“When you’re ready, Fluttershy,” Princess Celestia said.
As for Black Rose, Fluttershy didn't even want to look at her. The mare had a smile full of traps. If she caught a glance of that now, she would never be able to do anything. Instead, she closed her eyes. Whether she called it “the Stare” or “Eye of Fear”, she needed it now. ‘Please,’ she pleaded. She remembered the other Fluttershy, chained away in some dark hole underneath her cottage. It could just be a dream, but she was willing to grasp at anything at this point. ‘I need you now.’
“You can’t break these chains! Not anymore!”
What did that other Fluttershy mean? The more Fluttershy thought about those words, the less that time seemed a dream. She focused on that image of herself, locked away, chained more tightly than an anchored airship. ‘Break these chains...’ she thought. She was drawn to the idea. The image of her looked up and she wasn't sure if she was still imagining things and willing the image to look up or if she was actually staring at that place again. The look in her other self’s eyes told everything. There was no going back on this. She willed those chains to break. Prince Terrato asked her if she could use it “on command”. She knew she could if she just accomplished something within her. This was it. Instinct was all she had to guide her, but she knew that doing this would accomplish something. The links began to shake.
“Not anymore!”
The warning resounded in her head again. “Anymore” meant that she had done so before. Whenever she had needed it, she had used this ability. When the need passed she locked it away. Had she done no better than what Princess Celestia had been doing? Desperately ignoring a necessary part of her life? That had to end here, just as the barrier had to end. That other Fluttershy, whether it was Lok’horus, some side of her, or something else, should not be chained and locked away. She tried to imagine herself tugging at them as hard she could. Her hooves didn't actually touch them, but she could see them strain.
A loud clinking noise, like a metal link snapping, brought Fluttershy out of that image. She opened her eyes so quickly that the alicorns around her, all of whom were staring at her now, looked surprised.
“Fluttershy?” Princess Celestia asked. “Are you alright?”
“I-I’m fine,” Fluttershy said weakly. She didn't feel anything different. Her eyes weren't tingly or anything, not that they ever were whenever the Stare came on by itself. She couldn't even look at Prince Terrato now, let alone even suggest to him that she was having no luck with trying to bring out the Eye of Fear. Why did they even have to lure Gravitas out? He came to this world to kill all ponies, only to hole up by a lake as if he was the victim. She pressed her lips tightly together. The only thing worse than a murderer was a cowardly murderer. She imagined a big, heavily-muscled alicorn, easily four or five times her size, cowering in a corner or hiding under a desk because the minions he sent all failed and he was the one now being attacked. This is supposed to be an Eternal Herd general? A cornered rat would have more dignity!
“Fluttershy!” Princess Celestia’s voice brought Fluttershy up short. An apology already at her lips even though she had no idea what she had done wrong. What had happened? And how long had she been just hovering there just staring? The princess didn't look upset. "You've done well, Fluttershy,” Princess Celestia said. “Well and enough. Are you alright?”
“That was...enlightening,” Black Rose said. “This little gamble has certainly paid off.”
“We’re going to discuss this some other time,” Terrato said. He turned his gaze back to the structure by the lake.
Fluttershy could only blink. Well and enough? But she hadn't even done anything! What happened and-!
A distant boom, like a massive and powerful thunder strike jerked Fluttershy’s attention back to the walled structure. That was followed by the heavy crunch of armor plates crashing to each other. Instead of the distant fortress, she stared at what appeared to be an ornate pillar, as wide as a tree trunk and nearly ten feet long. Strange markings were all over the white stone. The weapon strained violently, as if it was still trying to get to her. The bladed point of a spear doing the exact same thing to her right, the weapon barely touching the tip of her ear.
Something warm trickled down the back of Fluttershy’s ear, slowly making its way to her neck then down her shoulder. Her heart jumped from steady to frantic in an instant at the scene unfolding inches away from her. To her front, Prince Terrato had slammed into an enormous alicorn, one even bigger than he was. His hooves pushed back an enormous shaft of white stone so dangerously close to pounding her skull into paste. To her right, both Princess Celestia and Black Rose had blocked the thrusting spear of a gold-armored alicorn, this one hardly any bigger than Princess Luna.
A second boom erupted from behind them. Fluttershy gasped. Her friends were towards that direction. She didn't dare look away from the deadlock in front of her.
With an angry grunt, Prince Terrato shoved the bigger alicorn back. The smaller one retreated and hovered next to its companion. “Not even a word of greeting, General Gravitas,” Terrato told the big one. “Royalty doesn't get you anywhere these days, it seems.”
General Gravitas wasn't looking at Prince Terrato when he replied. First, he turned towards the smaller alicorn. “Fulmen, join Ridentem and censure Princess Luna. Kill the mortals with her. I will deal with these ones.” Fulmen nodded, then winged his way towards where Princess Luna and the others were. Once he was alone, Gravitas turned his gaze towards Princess Celestia. “It was a sad time for the Herd when the fall of Lexarius was discovered. Sadder will it be when it becomes known that Princess Celestia has fallen further still.” His deep voice went from a solemn monotone to an angry snarl. “How dare you show yourself to me while consorting with a vessel of the firstborn’s power? You wretched little filly, forever shall his majesty be shamed for fathering two wicked children!”
“Open your eyes for once, brute!” Celestia retorted. She gestured to Fluttershy with a foreleg. “This ‘vessel’ is called Fluttershy and she also happens to be the bearer of the Element of Kindness. She is proof of what the mortals truly are: potential for both good and evil bound together by a will free to choose! Destroying them would be a mistake even a foal should be ashamed of making!”
Gravitas did stare at Fluttershy intently. His ice-blue eyes narrowed. “It is true, the Element of Kindness does reside in this one,” he said. He sounded calmer now, but his voice remained stony. “My duty is clear. The Elements of Harmony must be freed of their prisons and returned to the Herd.”
Celestia’s eyes widened for a second before narrowing into slits. “By my father upon the Throne, Gravitas! If you thought any less, you would drain the minds of those around you!”
Gravitas answered with a frontal charge, his weapons sweeping at them in a wide arc. Prince Terrato flew ahead to intercept the blow while Princess Celestia held Fluttershy in a telekinetic grip and flew out of the way. Black Rose had already circled behind Gravitas, her horn surrounded by both golden and black magical energy.
“Celestia!” Prince Terrato called out as he struggled against the enormous weapon. “Get her back to the rest of the Elements and help Luna with those two! Rose and I will take this one down!”
Princess Celestia didn't reply, but she was already swooping towards where Princess Luna and the others were. Her telekinetic grip disappeared as soon as Fluttershy began to flap her own wings. Below them, clouds of dust partly obscured the violence still playing out. A loud bang of metal hitting stone was followed by an odd “HOOO HOOO HOO”, as if somepony had stuck his head inside a metal barrel and was laughing and echoing inside it. Celestia landed just in time as Fulmen arrived and Ridentem moved to stand next to him.
Princess Luna was panting and sweating, her eyes focused entirely on her enemy even as Celestia went to stand next to her. Twilight Sparkle’s horn was glowing while Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, had their weapons drawn. Even Pinkie Pie was holding on to that piece of slate she was constantly carrying. All of them were covered with dust and snow and sported a few small cuts on their faces and legs.
“Not even one enemy casualty,” Fulmen remarked. Fluttershy shuddered at the calm tone. He spoke as if he was a parent coming home to find the chores not yet done. “I had expected you to perform better than Caro and Culmen, Ridentem.”
“Apologies,” Ridentem said with a chuckle. “They actually know how to assist each other and the tiny princess is surprisingly capable.”
“No excuses.” The broad-bladed spear whirled around Fulmen, golden arcs of electricity running up and down its length.
“I had expected Gravitas to find no more use for his head than a spot to hang a champron,” Celestia said. “But I refuse to believe that all his troops are the same. Tell me honestly, Fulmen Lancea, will you kill these ponies solely because somepony told you to?”
Fluttershy glanced towards Celestia. She could understand at least trying to reason with these two, but it didn't take much to understand that they were not going to back away. Ridentem, bounced on his hooves, displaying a great deal of agility for somepony so huge and bedecked in armor. Thick, brass-colored plates covered most of him and he wore something that looked both like a champron and a mask. The eye holes were upturned and the mouthpiece was curved so he looked as if he had a permanent, disturbingly jolly smile on his face.
Like his companion, Fulmen was so covered in his bronze-colored barding that it was impossible to see his face. Unlike Ridentem, his champron didn't seem to have any eye holes or a mouth piece. It looked as if his head was encased in a single piece of bronze plating, shaped to resembled a scowling pony head. His bright red mane, like a lighter-colored version of Terrato’s deep red flames, blazed from the top of the helmet and down the back of his neck. Fulmen was small enough to stand completely under Ridentem’s shadow, but he was the pony in front and, despite Ridentem’s barely-contained excitement. There was an unyielding stance to the way Fulmen stood that made it clear that these two would have to be destroyed to stop them.
Ridentem raised his massive hammer, slowly whirling it above his head. Fulmen raised a hoof to block him when he took a step forward. “You wish to hear my thoughts on this matter?” Fulmen asked. “I’m surprised. I had heard that Princess Celestia listened only to what she wanted to hear.”
Princess Celestia’s horn glowed and a blade of golden light began to materialize in front of her. “That was true,” she said.
“Then let me make my stand in this clear.” Fulmen pointed the tip of his spear at Fluttershy. She braced herself, fearing that those bolts of electricity might shoot out towards her. No lightning bolt came. “The mortals are and have always been only one thing: a problem. One that has been indulged rather than dealt with as any problem should be. This is not even unique in that regard. Before his cycle, your father called for the closing of the void rifts when they first appeared, but some of the elders insisted on studying them. The problem grew as a result, but his gallantry ultimately saved us all. You are young, princess, which is why you speak and make stands as if these events are new and unique when, in reality, the same old truth is playing itself out yet again.”
“And what truth is that?” Celestia asked. The sunlight blade she had been holding low now levitated in front of her face.
“The politicians make the mess, the soldiers clean.” Fulmen lowered his hoof and stepped forward. “Ridentem!” he barked.
“Are we done talking?” Ridentem asked. His hammer whirled even faster to match the growing excitement in his voice.
“Yes. Let’s solve this problem.”
The hammer stopped whirling and the spear lowered to aim for a heart as both alicorns charged.
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*gasp* not a Spike chapter?
2884237
I'd like to hear about him as well, but taking a cut-away in the middle of a battle would be far more stressful.
Alright, now we're talking. Kick some alicorn ass, girls.
More seriously, though, I do wonder how any of the mane 6 can possibly stand up in a fight against any of these invaders. Alicorns operate on a whole other level compared to mortals, so I'm not sure what they can accomplish here other than die rather quickly. Maybe the Elements inside will step up and assist?
Smough and Ornstein ? Was that a cool dark souls reference or am I reading too much into it ?
2852100
Celestia was given a portion of her power back, which she focused into an offensive strike to kill an invading alicorn who counted on her having no power at all. She has had one other fight in the story, and that was against her own brother, a battle hardened veteran who has faced off against Fenrir, NMM, and Lexarius. You're comparing a sneak attack against an opponent who was not even defending herself with a fight against an alicorn that is her equal in power.
The ponies chose them, make no mistake. Celestia and her siblings were to have gone home after dealing with Lexarius, they chose to stay to protect the ponies.
The Queen chooses to stay silent for her own reasons. The King is gravely injured.
Actually the world seemed to have been a mistake. The ponies were spawned from the blood of Oceanus, and the eternal herd chose to adopt the spawn of the traitor because this new race is not to blame for the sins of it's father.
Oceanus has no subjects. He bled, and that created ponies.
2884562
Guess im the only one who didnt know it?
Or maybe i didnt but since it goes on for a long time now i forgot.
2885092 iirc they went over that in Breaking Point, but yes, battling Oceanus left both of them gravely injured. Oceanus retreated to a point far off the edge of the map, and the King has sequestered himself with the Queen to help him heal.
2885106 Going back and reading Terrato's account of the rebellions back in Breaking Point chapter 40, it seems that it was less retreating on Oceanus's part and more 'cast out of 'Heaven' by the King:
Also to those of us who are familiar with Warhammer 40,000 the First Rebellion seems inspired (to the point of being an expy) of the Horus Heresy.
2885294 Huh, I would have sworn it mentioned he was injured also, but I did find this.
So, they cannot act directly without tearing the world apart, and seem to be only acting indirectly through agents like Applejack, as opposed to making their will known to the eternal herd.
2885361 He meaning Oceanus or the King? Because the King was seriously wounded by Oceanus and is currently healing while Oceanus was wounded by the King then cast out of the celestial realm where the Eternal Herd is and is currently healing in the ocean to the east of Equestria until it's time for the Ninth Rebellion.
1. They should have taken Spike
2. They should have taken the thorns, and possibly some other special forces
3. Where is chrysilis? didn't we see an image of a wounded, insectoid alicorn holding up a train earlier?
2884441 Glad I'm not the only one who caught that. The last 'Spike' chapters even made another reference via the Gluttony (Gaping) Dragon, along with other odds and ends.
Despite all the awesome hype that is the coming battle, I really wan't to know what Terrato, Celestia, and Black Rose saw when Fluttershy used "The Stare".
It certainly seems like whatever happened worked better than expected. Hell it even seemed to surprise Black Rose...or maybe I'm just imagining things XD
" n necessary" needs to be fixed.
“Big brother let’s just give her a chance,” --- a comma after "brother"
am predicting that this battle will have no outcome other than fluttershy's revelation and the 8th rebellion
i so want to know what happened to fluttershy during her little concentration period
I was starting to get a little disappointed with how Fluttershy was getting written lately. It seemed as if Visidane here was falling into the same flat character trap that the show has fallen into, But with this one line "Before you is proof of what the mortals truly are: potential for both good and evil bound together by a will that’s free to choose! Destroying them is a mistake even a foal should be ashamed of making!" made me realize that he was actually building up fluttershy to be one of the characters with the most potential. It seems that the later the characters in this story are finding their power/use for their abilities, the more potential they have. I'm not saying that anypony in this story so far is particularly underpowered (though I do fear for Applejack and Rainbow Dash a bit), but fluttershy now has to contend with the one thing that might be the greatest opposite to her true character. This adds a lot of depth to her, that she is going to risk releasing some great power that doesn't want to be released out of necessity despite the fact that it may end Fluttershy as we know her now.
2888119
Don't forget Seethe Scale and the other Seethe the Scaleless references as well as the fact that the Blackmoon Blades sound awfully similar to the Blades of the Darkmoon, and the pony who worshiped and praised Celestia named Solar. Oh, and Seethe Scale uses the Dragonslayer Greatbow.
Wow. Just wow.
that alone moved Celestia up from 8th to 5th in my list of best ponies. Also I gotta use that line on some dumb people I know.
2904986 so true the best kindness and generosity there can be is self sacrifice for ones you care for
You brought up the barrier being brought down again as a good thing, I still don't see it. It seems like ever since the barrier came down things have just gotten shittier and for no real net gain. I mean we have dragons from the borderlands or whatever purging the heartland ones because. We have alcohol now in the heartland, and as much as I enjoy drinking, things would probably be better without it, but once its around it will never go away, alcoholism will now always be a problem. The legion ponies do seem to be rather violently nuts, plus making the founders of Equestria be evil really just solidifies the fact that ponies needed the barrier. It certainly didn't seem like the legion needed the barrier down, we never heard about them just hanging on, really the worst for them seemed to just be that it took longer to get supplies and reinforcements. And now the heartland gets to worry about incursions by the wolfs, snakes, and bears too.
So I just don't get why everyone in this story seems to think the barrier coming down is a good thing, you even had Celestia just on the band wagon despite being the only one in the first story that thought the barrier was a good idea.
Hah! Ornstein and Smough confirmed. I wonder if they're weak to fire.
5728052
Yes, but the trope is still older than Dark Souls, and I'm not disagreeing mind you. At least physically speaking they are clearly based on Ornstein and Smough. However, the trope of a large and boisterous thunder god being pared with a lithe and grave lighting god is really old. My point is that you don't need to get the reference to appreciate the characters.