Darkness of the Eclipse

by Silverstream233

Chapter 23

Luna's pov (third person)

Luna stared down a long black hallway that had appeared after the moon landscape vanished. She could see Ponyville at the very end of it.

"This is where I say goodbye, Luna," Snowdrop pressed against her.

"W-will you visit me again?" Luna pleaded, not wanting to leave her beloved friend.

"I will try, but I do not have access to walking in dreams. Not like you," Snowdrop replied. "Now, go. Equestria needs you," She pointed a hoof down the hall. Luna touched her nose gently with Snowdrop's and walked slowly down the hall. When she was in front of the portal, she looked back and she saw Snowdrop's form vanish. With a deep breath, she walked through the portal. Ponyville flashed into her vision and she could see ponies battling with large creatures made of smoke.

"Princess Luna!" Several guards ran towards her, their armor and mane battered.

"Is my sister alright?" She demanded, pushing away their concerns.

"She's battling Asteria," One of the unicorn guards replied. "New ponies have come to help. Including the Wonderbolts and Princess Cadence has arrived with some of her guards. Meadow Dew has also arrived and she's doing well with healing injured ponies,"

"Right," Luna said. "Go back to help with the battle. I will assist as well,"The guards dipped their heads and left immediately.

"Luna! You're alright! You betta come quick. Princess Celestia and Asteria are in the middle of an epic showdown!" Applejack called to her as she ran by. Luna took flight and followed her. She gasped at the sight. Celestia stood facing their older sister, both of them with fire in their eyes and breathing heavily. Some ponies had gathered around to watch them. Unfortunately, Celestia was still weak after Asteria had taken some of her magic.

"Giving up already? I can't wait to rule over Equestria. I can finally change the ways of your softness on your subjects!" Asteria sneered.

"Enough!" Luna boomed, nearly turning back to the royal Canterlot voice. "There are two rulers in Equestria, in case you forgot," She added, coming to her sister's side. As she spoke, the necklace she wore glinted slightly in the moonlight.

"Oh, you fixed your broken necklace? Is that what's going to make your a perfect ruler?" Asteria rolled her eyes. Luna ignored her and turned back to her sister.

"You remember what I told you before. About how we made this necklace? I've forgotten that there are two parts to this necklace. As she spoke, she separated the two parts of the sun and moon so half of each piece was a necklace. When she placed the sun part of the necklace on her sister's neck, it began to glow.

"Your useless necklace can't do anything! I have the alicorn amulet," Asteria snapped, taking it out and placing it around her neck.

"Well, my necklace was able to break the corruption spell of the alicorn amulet. And you created it," Luna shot back.

"So what? I have more magic than you can ever imagine," Asteria snapped, shooting a red beam of magic at them. Luna and Celestia countered with their own spells, pushing it back to the middle before it exploded, sending clouds of dust into the air.

"Luna, she's taken most of my magic. I don't know how I can help you...I'm sorry," Celestia put an arm around her sister.

"It's fine. I think she's wrong. These necklaces do have magic, but a different kind of magic...one that is stronger than the magic inside that alicorn amulet," As she spoke, she glanced over at Twilight and her friends.

"Of course, friendship is more powerful, but neither of us wield the elements," Celestia pointed out.

"The elements may represent the magic of friendship, but it doesn't hold it! Friendship is everywhere," Luna replied.

"Are you going to talk or fight?" Asteria called, her horn glowing again.

"Come on sister. Even if you don't have most of your magic, you still have some of it," Luna took flight and faced Asteria. Celestia came to her side seconds later and the battle went on.

. . .

Twilight's pov

Twilight watched as magic burst back and forth from each alicorn.

"Twilight!" Trixie's distress call diverted her attention and she ran towards the sound. Trixie was completely surrounded by the smoke monsters.

"Come with us, Trixie. We'll give you more magic more powerful than your healing magic...why choose healing magic when stage magic is your real talent? It's what your cutie mark represents," They crooned.

"Stop!" Trixie covered her ears with her hooves. Twilight blasted one of them, then another. Trixie shot her magic at them as well until they were all gone.

"Trixie!" Meadow Dew was running towards her. She was a pale blue pony with a light green mane and her cutie mark was a leaf with dew drops on them. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Meadow. Don't worry," Trixie gives her teacher a hug.

"Girls!" Twilight called her friends over.

"What's up, Twilight? I'm still ready to bust up those shadow monsters," Rainbow Dash said excitedly as they hurried over. The CMC came as well.

"I'm not..." Fluttershy said worriedly.

"I think there's something magical about those necklaces Luna and Celestia are wearing," Twilight stated.

"How so?" Applejack asked.

"Since the necklaces was made by a strong bond between Luna and Celestia, then isn't it similar to the elements of harmony?" Twilight asked.

"Come again?" Applejack asked, kicking away a shadow monster that tried to tackle Fluttershy.

"The necklaces represent friendship, but a different kind of friendship. It's the bond between the two sisters. Don't you see?" Twilight pointed out, watching the two princesses battle Asteria.

"But there are lots of ponies with sisters," Rarity pointed out, wrapping a hoof around Sweetie Belle.

"But their sisterly bond has gone on for over a thousand years...not including the time of Luna's time as Nightmare Moon," Twilight added. "But their bond has lasted longer."

"But Luna said they made the necklaces only a few moons ago. Why would the magic we working now?" Applejack inquired.

"It's not. The magic didn't need to be used until now," Twilight replied.

"DOES THAT MEAN I CAN DO THAT WITH MAUD?" Pinkie pie squealed.

"Who?" Rainbow Dash demanded.

"My sister, silly!" Pinkie replied. Maud was dressed up in her usual gray shirt and was kicking rocks at the shadow monsters. Spike was doing his best to blow fire at them.

"Um, I'm pretty sure that y-" Rainbow began

"Twilight!" Fluttershy cried, pointing at the sky. Twilight turned back and watched with a worried face as she realized at Luna and Celestia were being pushed back. Black Ember was constantly distracting the two princesses by shooting up rays of magic. Angrily, Twilight flew towards her, but Trixie had gotten there first.

"Look out!" Rarity shrieked. A huge boulder had begun rolling towards them. Twilight's magic only made a small dent in it. Maud leapt into action and smashed it up with her hooves.

"Thank you, Maud!" Twilight exclaimed.

"I did what I needed to help Ponyville and Pinkie Pie's friend," Maud replied with her usual tone and went back to help Spike.

"I think that y'all little ones should go back to the castle. I know y'all wanna help, but all this fightin' is jus too dangerous for you," Applejack insisted.

"Ugh!" Scootaloo complained, but she obeyed and started to head towards the castle. She didn't notice the shadow monster following them.

"Look out!" A pink pony with purple and white mane tackled all three of them aside just as the monster struck out. Silver Spoon hurried forward and struck it with a hammer that she held in her mouth and it went away with a loud wailing.

"Diamond Tiara?" Apple Bloom said in disbelief.

"Look here, you blank flanks! Just this once..we have a truce," She began, her brows furrowed. "For Ponyville," She put out a hoof. Reluctantly, the CMC took it and looked them with puzzled looks.

"Are you sure you're not just doing this so you can take shelter in the castle?" Scootaloo said suspiciously.

"Well, I'm not goin' into the castle. We can at least defeat some of them monsters if we work together, right?" Apple Bloom glanced at Applejack.

"Fine, but y'all be careful,"Applejack began but they had already gone.

"We betta go and help everypony," Applejack said, taking out her lasso, and roping a group of monsters who had several earth ponies cornered.

"Come on! Let's go help!" Rainbow Dash flew off before any one of them could reply. Twilight and her friends hurried after her.

Luna's pov

"Asteria, you don't need to do this...all this bitterness will only eat you alive inside. Wouldn't you rather have ponies love you than fear you?" Luna pleaded, dodging another one of her attacks.

"Luna, it's no use. Even our parents couldn't stop her to become evil," Celestia told her, shooting out a golden ray of magic at her older sister.

"But sister...I've followed the same path as her, and I've redeemed myself," Luna insisted. "I wasn't so easily convinced to stop my jealousy and become Nightmare Moon."

"She is different," Celestia replied, using her magic to wrap Asteria in a huge ball of magic.

"How?" Luna demanded, flying to her side to help her, straining to keep it together. Celestia didn't reply, only concentrated on her ball trapping Asteria. With a loud boom, the ball burst open, knocking both princesses to the ground.

"You're pathetic, both of you! Luna, you should have joined me when you had the chance," Asteria screeched, flying straight down at them as they got up shakily. Without warning, a shield erupted around the two sisters, pushing Asteria back.

"Who?" Luna looked at her sister, but she shook her head, puzzled. Use your necklaces! A voice in Luna's voice called.

"Sister, I think we can defeat her if we combine our magic. These necklaces represent something; love and friendship and our sisterhood. This magic will be powerful because this bond has been lasting for over a thousand years..." Luna told her, a look of seriousness and affection her eyes as she looked at her sister.

"Luna.." Celestia began, emotion in her voice, but she broke off, as Luna gently touched the tip of her horn with hers. Almost immediately, their necklaces and their bodies began to glow brightly, illuminating the entire central square of Ponyville.

Note: when i describe the necklaces, think of it as the best friend ying yang necklaces. and also, I feel like I'm not making Applejack speak southern like she's suppose to. Comment below on how I can improve her southern speech!

For readers: Leave at least one comment below please! I wanna know what you think! Vote if you wanna!