Children of the Night

by Jedi-narwhal

Chapter 5

The angry cries of the mob Nightmare Moon had made were growing steadily louder as the two Alicorns stared each other down, waiting for the other to make the first attack. Celestia made the first move gritting her teeth, a ball of white energy forming at the tip of her horn and unleashed a beam straight for the heart of Nightmare Moon. To her shock, the beam had passed right through her foe, who had dissipated into a black cloud of smoke and quickly floated to the right.

“The moon gives me power over my form! Your simple beams are useless me.”

Nightmare Moon sneered as she produced her own beam, black with a blue outline directly for Celestia's horn. Moments before impact, Celestia produced a grin and suddenly vanished in a small flash of light. Nightmare Moon quickly turned to her left and locked horns with the materialized Celestia.

“Same to you Nightmare Moon. I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve.”

Celestia narrowed her eyes as the horns connected in a deafening crack, amplified by the magic of the two Alicorns. The room began to swirl with both light and darkness, spiralling from the contact point between Celestia and Nightmare Moon. Each of them grunted, trying to gain the upper hand in the clash, more magic filled the room; the windows of the throne room shattered from the increase of power.

Both of the combatants flew backwards when the power finally cancelled out, landing on their sides, Nightmare Moon was the first to get up,

“My power rivals even yours Celestia! Now I aim to finish you here and now!”

The Princess of Equestria quickly stood on all four legs when a beam of black energy started to dissolve the floor where she was just moments ago. Dodging more shots Celestia quickly flew into the air and fired intense shots of light from her horn. Nightmare Moon dodged them and returned shots of the black energy but was missing their intended target. “What is Nightmare Moon doing? Has she been using too much power?”

Easily dodging the barrage of shots, Celestia simply looked down at Nightmare Moon and gave a hearty laugh,

“You may be matched in power Nightmare Moon, but you used too much and now--”

Celestia looked around the ceiling of the hall: There were hundreds of balls of energy floating, waiting for their orders. Her eyes went wide with the realization, “How could I have been so foolish! She wasn’t meaning to hit me! I fell right into her trap!”

“Silly little Celestia. You clearly doubt my cunning!”

Nightmare Moon's laugh echoed with malice and her horn glowed a combination of blue and black, sending the message to the balls of energy. Rearing her head back and floating in the air, Nightmare Moon let out a scream, causing the energy to rip the roof of the Equestrian throne completely off, exposing them to the howling winds.

The white Alicorn closed her eyes as the debris flew in all directions, massive blocks of stone fell and the wood supports splintered, hazards flying around. Feeling a strong light on her eyes she slowly opened them, revealing the full moon hovering in the sky above them.

“The moon...”

Celestia said under breath, taking in the site and quickly looked to Nightmare Moon who had a wicked grin on her face,

“That’s right Celestia. The moon, the source of my power and your downfall!”

With that a strong moonbeam slowly fell on Celestia, who remained transfixed on the moon, her eyes wide when she began to her Luna's soft voice,

“Come little children...The time's come to play! Here in my garden of shadows...”

A tear rolled down Celestia's muzzle, “This magic is powerful, the moon is so big, I can feel myself slipping in the moonlight...” She tried to fight the beam and take her eyes away, but could not. Finally blinking several times Celestia found that she was trapped in the beam, unable to move.

“Nightmare Moon...You may have trapped me, but you wont control me so easily! You'd have to release your subjects just to defeat me!”

Celestia shouted to her captor, who simply chuckled at the notion,

“I love when you give me ideas Celestia. I can always reclaim their minds when you are disposed of!”

The angry cries of the mob slowly quieted down and slowly a black smoke began to form a thick layer on the ground, slowly rising in the moonbeam towards the trapped Celestia. As the cloud began to envelop the trapped Alicorn she let a deafening scream of pain pierce the silent night, followed by Nightmare Moon's wicked laughter.

“Elements of Harmony! I Princess Celestia of Equestria humbly ask for your assistance in my hour of need!”

Celestia cried mentally to any creature that would hear her. Shutting her eyes tightly she could feel the cloud move across her body, producing an icy, numb feeling as it travelled. Suddenly the pain stopped. Her eyes shot open to reveal a white plane of existence: no defined walls for floors and seemed to stretch for eternity.

“Is this what happens when ponies pass on?”

She said to herself and looked in both directions seeing the white span as far as she could see. Hanging her head in defeat, she felt a sudden wind from behind ruffle her mane. Celestia quickly turned around and saw six silhouettes of ponies formed in a half circle in front of her, each had a colour: light orange, cyan, white, pink, light yellow, and lavender.

“I Reckon we can spare the power to help right?”

“That sounds good to me! Just do whatever you need to do!”

“I agree. We will aid you in your need.”

“I love to help other ponies and make them smile! Hey! Do you think that one day we can be friends! Wouldn’t that be the coolest thing ever!?”

“Ill be glad to let use the power...”

“You can count on us! We will give you all you need to win.”

They took turns speaking, tears had been streaming down Celestia's face. She bowed her head in respect, suddenly the colours began condensing and formed into brilliant gemstones that glowed with power, along with a crown on Celestia's head. Feeling power and purpose surge through her, she broke free of her prison.

A brilliant flash of light lit up the world for a brief moment and the dark clouds surrounding Celestia quickly disappeared. Nightmare Moon took a step backwards, in shock, shaking her head,

“NO! You were mine! Defeated! How did--”

Nightmare Moon noticed the crown on her sisters head, her eyes growing wide as she watched her sister float down to the floor,

“The Elements!? How can you harness their power by yourself!?”

Celestia's eyes shone a brilliant white her voice seemed distance and echoed,

“I am not alone. I am imbued with their power, only for a brief moment. This is your ending Nightmare Moon.”

The moonbeam shifted from Celestia to Nightmare Moon, who looked up in panic and terror, she began to slowly float into the air,

“NO! I Control the moon! My power wont betray me!”

Celestia began to slowly gather her energy and the power of the elements into her horn, which released a rainbow pointed straight for Nightmare Moon.

“Celestia! You cannot imprison your own sister in stone! How will you live with yourself?”

The dark Alicorn panicked, trying to reason with her sister who only shook her head. The rainbow beam made contact, the dark mist slowly swirling back to Nightmare Moon's horn she was lifted higher and higher into the night sky.

“CELESTIA! MARK MY WORDS! I WILL RETURN TO TAKE THE THRONE FROM YOUR HOOVES!”

Nightmare Moon shouted using her Royal Canterlot Voice as a brilliant flash of light erupted in the sky, creating daylight for a brief moment. Celestia stood her ground, a tear fell from her muzzle and onto the ground.

“Goodbye my sister...”

Looking to the full moon, an image of a unicorn appeared, signalling that Celestia's spell had worked along with the Elements of Harmony. She stood there for a long time staring at the moon, seeing her sister banished forever.

“Princess Celestia! Are you all right?”

A old voice echoed through the chamber. She turned to see Starswirl, who looked up in the sky, his mouth agape,

“Princess....you banished Nightmare Moon in the moon? That’s brilliant! Giving her a taste of her own medicine!”

She slowly nodded,

“Starswirl....My heart is so heavy with sorrow for Luna...Was I too hard on her? Will she ever forgive me for what I've done?”

He took a few steps toward the Princess,

“I may not know much about sibling rivalry, especially between royals, but I know one thing: Time is like water. It ebbs and flows, either rushing so fast it flies by or it seems to freeze in place. Time will heal all wounds, no matter how deep.”

Starswirl took a few more and stood before Celestia,

“You and Luna have a unique advantage. You can see how time will play things out. Even as powerful as I am, I can only see glimpses of what has or will happen. You both have eons to figure things out...”

The week following the banishment of Nightmare Moon changed Canterlot. Many ponies were deathly afraid to travel at night, and always required at least three others with them or Royal Guard escorts. Falling into the new routine of raising both sun and moon, Celestia dove into her work as Princess of Equestria, approving new building projects, meeting with diplomats from differing kingdoms and countries.

“Princess Celestia.”

The Royal Guard pony repeated himself, finally gaining the attention of the Princess,

“You have a young foal who requests an audience.”

She raised a hoof to dismiss the guard but he continued,

“He says its about Princess Luna...Should I let him in?”

Celestia stopped. Her gaze focused on the guard before her. She swallowed a lump in her throat and nodded, letting the foal into the royal throne room. Being ushered by a Royal Guard, the small earth pony was scarred out of his wits, he had a dark brown mane, with green pale eyes and a brown shaggy coat.

“Princess Celestia?”

The young pony squeaked in a high voice in fear slowly walking towards the Princess of Equestria. She moved from her throne and met the young pony halfway in the chamber,

“Princess Celestia... Where is Princess Luna? I miss her garden, she took such good care of me. She took me in when no pony else would...Where did she go?”

Tears filled the young pony's eyes as he spoke and streamed down his face. Celestia slowly laid herself down to be face to face with the foal,

“My little pony...”

She started, trying to fight back the tears forming in her eyes,

“Princess Luna has gone to work on her garden. She wants it to be perfect when she brings you to it. Look to the moon tonight and you will see her. She will always look after you; shes the Mare in the Moon.”

Celestia broke down and cried with the young pony, weeping over the loss of Princess Luna.

Comments

[Toolkit]

Is it over? I don't want it to be over.
This story was wonderfully written, and I shall keep it on my favorites, even though it is over.

[dracoantares]

I can't wait until the videos finished! I love it so much!!!

[dracoantares]

poor poor Tia. Please write more!

[Jedi-narwhal]

1048601

I think that its pretty much complete and stands well on its own...I mean I COULD do a Nightmare Moon version telling her side of the story; but I like my little story I made. I originally intended for it to be only 3 chapters, but of course it kinda grew, and I loved writing every second of it.

[White Wolf]

I'd like to see Luna's side to this story. All we hear about is Celestia's.

[Silent Strike]

This ain't the feel I get at all from the anamatic. :c I feel more like she's taking the orphaned and the downtrodden, and giving them a home away from the old castle, and presenting unto them a place to live, of peace, and shadow. I dunno, just my own feels on it.

[Doublesims]

Oh wow damit i'm crying

[Jedi-narwhal]

2290974 aww its OK. I got really teary eyed writing the story too.

[The Masked Ghost]

i'm confused.

i heard about a childeren of the night movie, but what is it based on.
is it based on an orginal idea, or a fanfic?
can any one please tell me?
by the way, i read a little bit of this, and all i have to say, nice job. the plot seems intersting, and i kind of can't wait to read a little bit more later.

[Butterkeet]

1048555 this isnt St. Aegolius so i doubt it

[batran]

IT IS HERE!!!

[Jedi-narwhal]

2936340

ITS SO PRETTY! Ive watched it dozens of times now...and it still gives me goosebumps!

[fluttershy217]

A time long since pass i still remeber it though i missed my mother of the night if i werent the product of 2 immortal beings alicorn and somethingesle i wouldnt be here crying now i miss equestria altogether i only see it at nighg in my dreams now

[Shadowlux100]

I still think this is better than what Season 4 showed us. Great job bro!

[Amethystpie33]

hey man this really is awesome great writing style. But it has some plot holes. for one the season 4 premiere says different, as better as your version is the shows creators voice is law. and 2, in the beginning of the PMV one of Luna's "children" is writing about the day when Luna took them in the garden of shadows. probably. and on that note she wasn't the monster that Luna was making. Seriously though, watch the video a bunch of times and you'll realize. But aside from that great job!!! Great story really enjoyed it. 4 STARS ! ! ! * * * *

[Amethystpie33]

2370127 it's a bit of both actually. Maby inspired by the video but mostly their original ideas. Witch isn't bad. the create could tell you better