Starlit Knights

by BlackRoseRaven

When Laughter Fades Away

Chapter Twenty Three: When Laughter Fades Away
~BlackRoseRaven

They pushed onwards into the night, Luna and Twilight leading the way with their horns glowing, and Ross smiling as he made his own horn glow as well, following in the middle of the caravan with Cowlick, not even seeming aware that he was doing magic. Lanterns hung from the sides of the wagons, burning brightly… but not even Scrivener Blooms complained about the extended march as they made their way through the tunnels of the mountains, past eyes that glared at them from the darkness but didn’t dare attack before they finally emerged into a vast, rocky tundra and pushed forwards, away from the shadows of the mountain and the toxic reek of the barren land, finally coming to a halt in the silhouette of an immense pine forest.

They pulled off the road where the land was still clear, setting up the wagons to form a curved wall to the stretch of desolate tundra behind them. It provided some shelter from the bitter wind that nipped across the empty, frozen wastes, and the minotaurs were quick to gather logs and branches from the forest, using them to build both bonfires and barriers at the edge of the encampment.

When questioned by Luna about this, Aleksandr muttered that the forest was watching them… and Scrivener hated to agree, but he could feel the same dark intensity. He thought Luna did, too, but she refused to admit that any creatures of the night could sway her… but for once, Aleksandr had only shaken his head slowly and murmured: “Be wary, Baba Yaga. In story, is always underestimation that leads to downfall of great witch. I do not wish to see folk story become real life.”

Luna had taken this to heart, at least, and helped reinforce the defenses around the campsite with magic, muttering moodily to herself… but Scrivy knew it was only because now, on top of everything else, her dominion over the night was being challenged by something the menaced through the shadows. In plain defiance of this, Luna and Scrivy set their tent up nearest to the forest, in a hole in the barriers, daring anything to attack them… but that night, as they laid in front of their tent in front of a blue fire that burned endlessly despite the whipping wind, as the moon shone down from the clear, lucid night sky, they were aware of eyes watching them, but nothing moved against them.

Twilight Sparkle joined them, and so did Pinkamena, as the rest of the ponies – minotaurs included, this time – stayed at the other bonfires. There was a distinct separation that made Pinkamena grin sourly before she muttered in distaste: “This is why killing ponies… or anything, really… is so much better than saving ponies. They say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ as long as they want you around, as long as you’re there to serve their purpose, not ‘a’ purpose, their purpose… and when you don’t fit anymore, they make no effort to try and help you or include you. They just leave you to rot. Maybe that’s why you and Scrivy have such an exciting marriage, live such an exciting life together that all the flame hasn’t gone out of. Maybe it’s not because of love… but because you both know you’ll always need each other, and not in the sense of any romantic stupid lie, either. You two literally need each other to survive.”

Luna glowered a little at this as Scrivener looked moodily across at Pinkamena, and then the male said dryly, as the dull-pink pony’s blue eyes gleamed like gemstones: “I always get this awful feeling you’re working towards some twisted ultimate end when you talk to us like this.”

“Aren’t we all, every day of our lives? We’re all after something. We’re all after things that are very surprisingly very similar, when you get all the semantics and bull out of the way.” Pinkamena grinned wider, rolling onto her back and almost on top of the armor she had discarded shortly after joining them. “What do you two taste like? Take that any way you like.”

“Then why does thou not step this way and find out for thyself?” Luna asked grouchily, glaring across at Pinkamena challengingly even as Twilight Sparkle winced as she looked up from the female’s other side, and the gray earth pony grinned at this as she cocked her head upside down, licking her lips slowly. “I far from fear thee, creature. Whatever evils thou may wish to wrought upon others in battle or in other places.”

“Oh yeah, because I obviously have so much luck getting other ponies into tents with me.” Pinkamena laughed all the same, then rolled over and half-lidded her eyes as she strode sinuously towards them, slinking her body low across the ground as Scrivy winced to the side and watched as the earth pony slipped past towards the winged unicorn, who glowered… then winced a bit as the female slowly licked up her shoulder before settling her jaws against it almost mockingly.

She bit harder, teeth digging deeper, and Scrivener grimaced as he glanced down at his own shoulder, watching the way indents appeared, became a clear mark of sharp teeth as Luna gritted her own with a growl and Pinkamena’s eyes shone with hellish radiance and delight, red-rimmed blue glinting dangerously before she suddenly drew back with a laugh. “I like you! I really like you two!”

Twilight, meanwhile, was only staring, shivering a little as Luna and Pinkamena half-glared at, half-studied each other… and then Luna smiled grimly and nodded, and Pinkamena licked her lips before she turned and strode away, Twilight Sparkle staring from one to the other before she asked sharply: “And what the hell was that?”

“A challenge met.” Luna said moodily, shaking her head slowly before she sighed a little and glanced up at the sky, starry mane sizzling quietly around her. “Scrivener Blooms, speaking of devils and promises and horrible things, we must compose a letter to Celestia telling her… of what I have experienced.”

Luna quieted, glancing down and nodding slowly, and Scrivy gazed at her softly before he began to climb to his feet… but with only a smile, Luna flicked her head to the side, and a satchel bag of Scrivy’s personal belongings floated out of the tent and dropped down beside her, a quill, an ink well and parchment floating out of this… before Sammy poked his head out of the bag as well, chirping and shivering despite his lack of organic life. “Aye, Sammy, I agree, ‘tis more than cold enough to chill the bones of the dead. Curl up here with us, then, and not in the musty drudgery of Scrivy’s accursed bookery.”

“Bookery yourself.” Scrivener grumbled, and Twilight sighed, then smiled when Sammy hopped out and scampered over to her, reaching out and quietly stroking along the pseudodragon’s back as he curled up on a warm rock in front of the fire. She gazed over at the two as Luna and Scrivy looked at each other, their eyes meeting, their expression the same for a moment before the male nodded, saying quietly: “Still, I think you should compose it. This isn’t just a letter to Celestia… this is personal for you.”

Luna grumbled under her breath at this, but then she nodded hesitantly and cleared her throat as she sat up straight, saying quietly: “Then I shall dictate, and thou shalt write, but… correct me as always, Scrivy, if I embellish too much here or there.”

The male smiled at her as Twilight looked up quietly, and Luna glanced over to the violet winged unicorn, gazing at her affectionately for a few moments before she said softly: “And thou, Twilight Sparkle… shall listen closely to my story. As student, as friend, as… the special pony thou art to me, understood?”

Twilight nodded at this, looking at her tenderly, and Luna laughed and straightened, nodding firmly once before she gazed up at the starry night sky overhead, the wind itself seeming to settle for her story as she murmured: “Dearest sister…

“I write to thee today, to tell thee that I believe thee now in full, and have to come unlock memories of mine own, hidden in the very depths of my soul. I know now that thou spoke the truth… of the Valkyries, of Valhalla, of Asgard, and furthermore, of everything thou didst not speak of, but tactfully avoided. I, however, have not thy tact, nor the pleasure of avoiding the subjects… subjects like Odin, and the betrayal, and the fact that gods may step from higher realms, greater dimensions… but are perhaps as flawed as we ourselves are. ‘Tis a strange and sad realization, and one that should have been blatantly obvious… for warrior gods to exist, there must be war. For war to exist, there must be an enemy… and the Aesir were all too glad to find enemies to embattle.

“Heed me, sister: Nightmare Moon led me to a vast library of memories, in which I wandered, finding fragments enough to know thou spoke the truth, to understand… more than I expected to understand from so little.” Luna looked down quietly, nodding slowly. “In a fashion, it prepared me, helped brace me, for when Scrivener Blooms and Scarlet Sage were led into this vast library of memories by Nightmare Moon’s tampering… and they aided me to discover a seal in my mind. A seal not unlike the ones we have used on occasion to bind the memories of the troublesome who nonetheless were not guilty enough to suffer death for their actions, as well as others whom had earned a second chance… but one without certain temptations. Yet it is no surprise, is it? Our magic… the old magic… resembles all too much that of our hidden idols, it has since the start… our very lifestyle has, from the beginning. Where we diverged from them was only when we began to seek peace… only when thou began to seek harmony, and think not there is any hidden sting in my words this time, my sister, for there is not.

“In thy mind there may also be a seal, but I am aware that also… my death was different. I remember the slaughter of the Vanir, blamed wrongly for actions taken by some other malicious force… and I remember Odin, furious with me. I remember weeks of hunting and reprimands that followed… I remember refusing Odin’s orders, and refusing him when he tried to…” Luna halted and cleared her throat, glancing down for a moment before she nodded firmly and continued quietly: “Take me to his chambers. I remember… being put to sleep, and even in my nightmares and dreams, I heard the outrage of thou, then Freya, and a threatened coupe d’état. I remember infighting… and in my nightmares, I remember the shadows of the Black Wolves of Helheim. And I remember being cradled and soothed as I was quietly put to rest by calloused hands, and pieces of my very soul scattered downwards like ashes… and well, thou knows the rest, I am sure.

“It brings many questions to mind. Are there others like us? But oh, I know there are many worlds… I know that I was not killed on the battlefield, but instead sacrificed by an unknown mercy-killer that sought, in some alien way, to save me from whatever attacked and slaughtered the Aesir. And without gods, where do the spirits of our deserving dead wander? Do mortals rot in the ground, or worse, must all souls now fall towards Helheim… or is Asgard and the Vale of Valhalla but a lonely place of wanting spirits, wandering amidst a purgatory of ruin and graves of the beings they thought so above, deserved such worship?” Luna closed her eyes, shaking her head slowly as she murmured softly: “But I do not despair. For all broken things… can be fixed with time. And unlike most ponies… we have the time to do this, sister. First we cleanse this darkness, then we work towards fixing what is broken, restoring honor to whatever tribe from which we sprung… aye, sister. I do not despair. I refuse to despair.”

She fell silent for a few moments, looking down quietly before nodding slowly and murmuring: “I wish thee good luck, my sister, and… I thank thee for thy honesty, for helping arm me against the evils that are on the horizon. For all the loudness that this evil crashes through the night with, there is a subtlety in the darkness as well, that makes me fear what has come to Midgard… to Equestria, to the world of ponies and mortals. But I am ready to face what comes, with Scrivener Blooms and Twilight Sparkle, and thou, my big sister Celestia. I fear not what comes… I shall embrace my past and my future both.”

She smiled a little, gazing up slowly and nodding firmly, then she looked towards Scrivener Blooms. “I was Brynhild, and now I am Luna Lightblade. Thou hast my love, Celestia, and all my best wishes. Fondest regards, thy little sister Luna.”

“Luna Lightblade. Still gets me every time.” Scrivy said softly, as he signed the parchment in a flourish, and Luna laughed as Twilight Sparkle shook her head with a quietly-entertained look. “Luna Lightblade and Celestia the Dragon Slayer… what would are heroic names be, anyway?”

“Well, thou does not get one, thou art just a bard. Bards quote poems about others, not about themselves.” Luna replied with a slight smile, and Scrivy snorted in amusement as he rolled his eyes and furled the scroll quietly closed after giving it a quick glance-over, rolling the parchment tightly up before the winged unicorn’s horn glowed, and it was gently pulled from his hooves as a royal seal lifted from the bag and bound itself tightly around this. “Samael, send this to my sister.”

Sammy looked up from his rock with a disgruntled chirp, obviously not wanting to move, and Luna rolled her eyes before the letter floated easily over to the skeletal pseudodragon, the creature sitting up slightly and breathing a gust of blue flame out once the parchment was close enough. It burst into ashes that swirled upwards into the night sky, and the Sammy flopped back down as Twilight laughed quietly and silently stroked over the creature’s back. “I’m… I’m really glad you sound so confident, Luna. That you look so confident, despite everything… doesn’t it scare you, though? It… it scares me a little, if I’m allowed to say that.”

“Thou art allowed to say anything, Twilight Sparkle, thou has well-earned that privilege.” Luna replied softly, giving her a slight smile as she glanced towards the winged unicorn, who blushed a little and fidgeted on the spot, but looked warmly up at the fellow female all the same. “And yes… I cannot lie and say that this does not worry me, for it does, and greatly… but all the same, I do not linger on it. I was; now I am.” She stopped, then grinned and reared back, saying pompously: “And, to quote my beloved husband and his poetic nuance… ‘it’s pretty badass, really.’”

“I. Stop. Go away.” Scrivener said finally, and Luna laughed before she gave him a wink and a look, and the male rolled his eyes before he stood up with a sigh, cracking his back absently. “Alright, alright, we’ll both go away, then. Are you going to stay here, Twilight? Luna wants to do a patrol of the camp before everyone starts going to sleep.”

“Yeah, I think I will. It feels… peaceful right now. I’m well aware there may be eyes watching us and other things in the shadows but… at the same time, it feels… okay.” Twilight glanced up with an awkward smile, but Luna only nodded and smiled softly in return, well-understanding with her warrior’s instincts. “Just don’t take too long, I… I like your company.”

“No, really?” Scrivy cocked his head, then snorted in amusement when Luna punched him firmly in the shoulder as Twilight shook her head with an exasperated sigh. “Alright, alright, I’m done for the night, anyway. Come on then, Luna.”

The two turned, striding quietly through the shadows towards the tents and bonfires of the camps… but things seemed to be calmer, like the sense of malignancy had left the air as they sat for a few minutes with Aleksandr, his minotaur brethren, and Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Big Mac, then moved on. Luna chatted with the Pegasus Guards, who gazed at her with newfound respect, and Scrivener found himself talking with Ross and Cowlick as the two wandered out of a nearby tent, the former looking dazed and giggling a lot as Cowlick kept smoothing her messy mane out beneath her bandanna, and when Luna had strode over from the guard she had looked for a long time at the engineer, then simply rolled her eyes and said amusedly: “Well, ‘tis what I would have done. Come Scrivener, ‘lest Cowlick regales us with tales of her conquest.”

Scrivy had laughed, and they had made their way slowly through the rows of tents, lit by lanterns that hung from poles placed evenly through the encampment: everything was bathed in dim but comfortable light, keeping a sense of safety and security throughout the campsite… before, as they made their way slowly back, the two found Rarity and Fluttershy standing awkwardly outside a tent, Rarity hopping from hoof-to-hoof before she looked up as they approached, saying urgently: “Help me!”

“Oh no, no, no, we shouldn’t, we mustn’t!” Fluttershy blushed even as she whispered this quickly, bowing her head a bit as Luna and Scrivy looked dumbly between the two, and Rarity hissed through her teeth loudly as she fidgeted back and forth. “Rarity, it’s probably nothing-”

“No, you… idiot! Stop doing that, get on your back!” Pinkamena’s voice came through the tent flap, and both Scrivy and Luna stared at the closed tent… before Pinkie Pie giggled loudly, then yelped… then giggled again even harder as Pinkamena’s surly tones grumbled: “Don’t make me smack you again, now stop laughing and… there. Inch forwards a little more… there. Spread… no, stop that! There, put it there!”

Luna and Scrivy shared a look, then both of them began to giggle childishly as Rarity looked up in frustration, saying in a hurried whisper: “They’ve been… sounding like that for what seems like hours, at first it was perfectly innocent and I thought that it would be perfectly nice to give them some time alone if they were getting along but-”

She was interrupted by a short clattering, and a smacking sound, followed by a grunt… and then Pinkie Pie mumbled something before Pinkamena grumbled: “Well then stay on your back, stupid. Good thing you’re actually… yeah, that’s better…”

“We should just. Go.” Fluttershy said embarrassedly… and then she winced over her shoulder at the sound of approaching hooves to see Rainbow Dash and Applejack approaching, and she shook her head violently and motioned for them to go away… but that only made Rainbow Dash grin and prance right up to her as the Pegasus winced and leaned away. “No, we… we were just leaving-”

“Pinkamena, don’t force it in!” Pinkie Pie giggled as Pinkamena grumbled, and Rainbow Dash stared at the tent, then looked at Luna and Scrivener Blooms, who were both still leaning away, snickering. Then Pinkie squeaked, there was a short, awkward pause… and then the bright voice of the female said: “Well, okay, guess that worked after all.”

Luna and Scrivener fell against each other, muffling their laughter into one another’s manes as Applejack merely looked at them sourly, then smacked the back of Rainbow Dash’s head as he collapsed into giggles himself. The Pegasus only swayed forwards, however, before Applejack said flatly: “Well, Rarity looks like she’s been standing out here all night and it’s her tent too. So. Rainbow, go in there and see what’s going on.”

“Oh hell no!” Rainbow blurted, shaking his head wildly as his laughter stopped, then he pointed at Luna, saying hurriedly: “She’s the leader, she should do it, she has rank and all that and is the only damn thing in this campsite scarier than Pinkamena!”

Luna immediately stopped giggling at this, then she looked up with a huff and said disgustedly: “Thou art a great craven contemptible coward, Rainbow Dash! How dare thee! But very well, if thou art truly so scared… Scrivener Blooms, go and investigate.”

Luna looked at the earth pony pointedly as he looked up at her, his jaw dropping… and Applejack groaned and threw her head back, then simply stormed forwards and yanked the flap open, the other ponies all leaning forwards and staring through to see Pinkamena looking stupidly up from where she was carefully putting together a model of a boat, a horrible blush suffusing her face as Pinkie Pie looked up from where she was laying on her back so she could reach the underside beneath the holders it sat in while Pinkamena put together the top.

The bright pink pony bounced to her hooves with a cheery smile and greeting to them… and accidentally knocked the boat flying from the holders it sat in, the model spilling to the ground and breaking into pieces as Pinkie Pie looked dumbly down at this, then blushed as Pinkamena stared at the wreckage of the model ship. Then the dull-gray pony snarled and leaned forwards with a flurry of grumbled curses, stomping the wreckage wildly with her front hooves and mashing the remains of the model into broken pieces of wood and plastic before her eyes all-but-glowed as she looked up at the ponies and shouted: “Well what the hell are you looking at?”

The group of ponies grinned awkwardly, and then Rarity held up a hoof, saying awkwardly: “I’m… sorry, Pinkamena, I take full responsibility for… well… not just checking and… well… was that a-”

“It was a replica of the Royal Equestria Navy’s military freighter AAB-class cruiser, do you have a problem with my hobby?” Pinkamena looked sulkily over them all, muttering under her breath: “Stupid ponies. Come on, sissy, let’s go somewhere where these idiots aren’t.”

“Oh, don’t be so upset now, we’ll get you another one.” Pinkie Pie replied brightly, then she bounced forwards and hugged Pinkamena firmly from behind, almost throttling her as Rarity slipped into the tent and Applejack and Fluttershy hurriedly dragged off Rainbow Dash even as the Pegasus began to giggle again. “Cheer up, Lemon Drop!”

“Dammit, don’t call me that.” Pinkamena grumbled and threw an elbow back into Pinkie Pie’s stomach, making her wheeze for breath and half-fall backwards, then the dull-gray pony stormed forwards to shove past Luna and Scrivy before Pinkie shook her head and quickly scrambled after her, the winged unicorn grinning after them.

Then Luna rose her head, calling mildly: “Please refrain from bashing thy sister too roundly, Pinkamena, the others have begun to think strange, twisted thoughts about thee.”

Pinkamena halted at this, looking over her shoulder moodily as Pinkie Pie snorted in amusement, smiling brightly as the Element of Laughter around her neck glowed for a moment… and then Pinkamena shook her head, saying flatly: “That’s disgusting, Luna. Pinkie Pie tastes like sugar. I hate sugar.”

With that, Pinkamena turned and strode off, and Pinkie bounced along beside her as Luna laughed and shook her head, Scrivener Blooms rolling his eyes in amusement before they both turned and headed through the campsite with amused smiles on their faces, before Scrivy finally asked curiously: “So where do you think Pinkamena managed to her hooves on a model?”

“Upon this subject, I would rather not guess, my daydreamer. ‘Tis sometimes better not to know… although it is welcome to see that the creature enjoys things apart from killing, whether she wishes to admit it or not.” She paused, then added in a quieter voice: “And I think… that separated, Pinkamena and Pinkie Pie have been in a sense… more stable. Pinkamena seems more willing to work with us… Pinkie Pie seems to bounce and laugh honestly, and not just out of manic madness. They seem to be good company for one-another too, although I had feared it would prove much otherwise.”

Scrivener nodded slowly, the earth pony smiling a bit as they began to circle back towards their own campsite, the blue flames glowing like a beacon. “Well, remember what Twilight said? Pinkie Pie has trouble controlling herself, and she gets a little… quiet now and then, but Pinkamena is always there to shove her forwards. Pinkamena gets a little bloodthirsty, insane, and lonely… but… you saw Pinkie.”

“I did. They are providing for one-another, even apart. ‘Tis strange, but good.” Luna nodded meditatively… and then she winked and nudged Scrivener Blooms firmly, the male giving her an amused look. “’Tis not altogether unlike us.”

“You just enjoy comparing things to us and then declaring that we’re better versions of it.” Scrivy replied mildly, and Luna shrugged thoughtfully, giving him a wide grin of agreement. “Should we stop in and visit Scarlet Sage?”

“I would like to but… we should permit the foal to rest. I am sure she sleeps by now… it has been a trying day for the poor filly.” Luna glanced up at the night sky overhead, nodding slowly before she grimaced as a cold wind breathed past, stepping quietly closer to Scrivy and pressing their sides together as they approached the campfire and Twilight Sparkle, who was reading slowly by the glowing light of her own horn. “And look at this insolent creature, reading! Have thou not learned more from this journey than thou has from all the books in Equestria?”

“Luna that… you really can’t compare those two things…” Twilight said tersely, but when Luna only gave her a glare as she flopped down beside her, she sighed and rolled her eyes. Scrivener Blooms strode past to his saddlebag, pulling out parchment and his quill, and Twilight added moodily: “Besides, I’m the one reading books but you’re the one who married and dragged an actual writer along on this trip. From that angle, we’re both doing something wrong.”

Luna looked stumped at this as Scrivener snorted in amusement, before he winced and ducked when the sapphire winged unicorn flicked her horn towards him and a log flew over the fireplace at his head, saying moodily: “Traitor. I shall pummel thee, even if it means pummeling myself, thou should know by now.”

“Temper, Luna. Save your anger issues for North Neigh, you’ll be able to pummel plenty of ponies then.” Scrivy said mildly as he began to write, and Luna sighed and nodded, grumbling a little before she glared at him, but the male ignored her pointedly… then winced when her horn glowed and he was forcefully dragged over the dirty, half-melted tundra in a semicircle around the campfire, quill and parchment and all, until he came to a halt beside her so she could mumble and shove her face down against his neck and mane as Twilight laughed, then winced when Luna wrapped a foreleg around her and yanked her moodily down against her chest like a stuffed animal.

The night roved onwards in calm: Twilight eventually fell asleep with her book half-held against her face, cradled against the comfort of Luna’s body and kept warm by the fire, Sammy curling up under one of the violet pony’s wings and snuggled comfortably into her frame as Luna smiled softly into the blue, eldritch flames, seeing old memories, strange images, as Scrivener Blooms quietly wrote. His quill flicked slowly over the paper, rarely pausing, the male’s features serene… quill in one hoof, other foreleg around Luna’s shoulders as she rested in comfort against him.

“For all thou whining and complaining… there is such discipline in thee.” Luna said softly, when Scrivener finally put down his quill and took a break after filling several long sheets of parchment, and the male looked at her curiously even as he grimaced and stretched, cracking his neck and his back loudly. “When thou decides to sit and write, thou… sits and writes, and for hours at a time without pause. It frustrates me, Scrivener Blooms. How dare thee be so good at focusing upon one thing? I am supposed to be the better-than-thou here.”

Scrivy only smiled amusedly at this, however, shrugging and saying quietly: “True, Luna, but don’t forget… writing has always been my one escape from… everything. I’m driven more than I am skilled, and maybe obsessive more than I am driven: is that really such a good thing to be?”

“It is for me, because thou looks at me with the thought ‘the only thing in greater regard than my writing is thee, Luna.’” the winged unicorn replied softly, and the two shared a gentle, slow kiss for a few moments before they pulled apart, gazing affectionately into one-another’s eyes, then she winked. “Thou should treat Twilight Sparkle better, though, great unkind lout, for all thou thinks of her.”

“Oh, Luna, then you’d be jealous.” Scrivener replied kindly, and the female laughed before they both gazed up into the night sky, smiling at the moon above as the male added quietly: “We should probably-”

And then an awful howling filled the night air, and Scrivener and Luna both leapt to their feet, knocking Twilight Sparkle sprawling as she gasped in surprise and flailed wildly for a moment before freezing up and looking skywards at the sound of another howl that ravaged the night, and Scrivener snarled, recognizing the terrible sound from his too-recent encounter with the creatures even before Luna said sharply: “’Tis a Hellhound! And the beasts never hunt alone!”

She began to step forwards, then looked sharply over her shoulder as a terrible, red radiance filled the air behind them through the cloth of the tent, the winged unicorn snarling as she spun around and lashed her horn down. A wall of translucent blue energy sparked into existence in front of them a moment before the red light on the other side of the barrier intensified… and then their tent was all-but-disintegrated by a massive blast of flame that smashed against the sapphire wall like a battering ram, Luna’s horn sparking as she cursed and leaned forwards before the stream of fire burst apart, revealing several red-robed, tattooed unicorns that approached through the ashen corridor left behind, one of them saying in a cold, carrying voice: “Destroy them. For Ekleíp. For Ragnarok. For rebirth.”

“Fools!” Luna shouted furiously, leaning forwards with a snarl as she flicked her horn upwards… and spikes of stone ripped from the ground, cruelly ripping into the first unicorn in line and killing him instantly, but the other two thralls only continued forwards with only the faintest twitch, their eyes emotionless, smoky tattoos writhing over their faces as Luna’s eyes glowed. “Think not I shall hesitate to exterminate thee if I must! ‘Tis better to die than remain a servant to the darkness, no one knows this better than I!”

The unicorns both began to lower their horns… but Twilight Sparkle stepped forwards, snapping her own downwards and sending a blast of lightning into one that staggered the thrall before he gargled and fell forwards, convulsing violently as she shouted: “Luna, wait, paralyze them!”

Luna grimaced, then winced when a fireball was sent rocketing towards her from the still-advancing unicorn, stepping forwards as her horn glowed blue before she parried it with an easy flick, the fireball simply puffing out of existence as it was dispelled. Then Twilight leapt forwards, swinging her horn down, and electrical arcs tore around the unicorn’s body in a tight checkerboard pattern, netting it in lightning and making it howl as the tattoos over its features writhed before it fell backwards… and Luna cursed under her breath at the sounds of battle rising up behind her, wincing as something exploded before she ordered: “Twilight, secure these creatures and ensure they cannot use magic! Scrivener… oh grand, again?”

Scrivy was already running towards the campsite, knowing Luna and Twilight could handle the situation… and he cursed under his breath at the sight of Nibelung and Velites surging through the camp, engaging with Starlit Knights and Pegasus Guards in various states of shock and readiness. Worse, there were Hellhounds lunging into the fray as well, these terrible, icy demons terrifying the ponies they came across… and the male snarled as a Pegasus Guard was tackled by one that roared and breathed a wave of icy mist over the male, frostbite and ice spreading over the soldier’s features as he screamed in pain before it savagely ripped out his throat.

A Velite leapt in front of him, and Scrivener barely slowed as he ducked under a wild claw of the creature before he slammed his shoulder upwards, knocking it flat before the earth pony’s hooves stomped down into its skull… and then he snarled, looking up sharply as the emaciated figure of Ignominious climbed onto a wagon, the demonic equine screaming in a voice tinged clearly with insanity and panic: “Go, go, you are all I have left! Kill them, butcher them, but you must destroy Scrivener Blooms and Luna before sunrise, this is my last chance!”

Scrivy snarled as he began to wade through the battlefield towards the creature, weaving past a Nibelung that swung uselessly at Big Mac as the red pony gritted his teeth and deflected the bite of the axe off the buckler on his arm, and then Scrivener winced as a Hellhound looked up from the Pegasus it was savaging to snarl and charge at him… before the demon dog was brought to an unexpected halt as Pinkamena stepped nimbly in from the side and slammed an axe forwards into its features with a vicious grin.

The Hellhound squealed as its icy skull blew apart into fragments of frost, shaking what remained of its head back and forth wildly as dark smog burst up from its neck, and then the dull gray pony yanked the weapon around in a crescent before slamming it down into the Hellhound’s spine, and the demon dog exploded into smoke and chunks of frost as she laughed savagely, shooting a dark grin at Scrivener Blooms, no armor over her bruised body but a more terrifying figure in the pallid light with only the axe in one hoof and the knife holstered at her side than even the minotaurs as she shouted: “This is it! This is what I’ve been waiting for!”

She laughed again, then half-spun as she easily slung the axe around in a wide, upwards slash, slicing the head off a Velite as Pinkie Pie winced and cowered next to her, but Pinkamena only grinned insanely as she stomped savagely down on the twitching skeleton and shattered its bones to dust, calling eagerly: “You wanted to sing a song the whole way marching here, right sissy? Well let’s sing, Pinkie Pie! Come on, let’s sing a song!”

“Pinkamena, please!” Pinkie winced, then she lunged forwards when a Nibelung began to charge in towards their flank, slamming her hooves into it to knock the dwarf staggering before she spun around and kicked both rear hooves into its face, knocking the wolf-pig senseless as it flopped backwards, prone. “We need to get out of the middle of the battlefield!”

“But I want to be a target! I want to spill blood, and spill their blood! Fine, Pinkie, I’ll start, you follow along!” Pinkamena threw her head back and laughed, then she spun the axe rapidly at her side before lunging forwards, burying the axe into the chest of a Nibelung with a twisted grin as, to the horror of those around her, she began to sing in a voice as jagged as the blade of her weapon: “Oh, I’m not like other ponies… I don’t like hay or sweets or silly things-”

“Pinkamena oh my god I will do anything if you stop right now!” Pinkie Pie winced in horror as Velites turned towards them, the skeletons drawn by the ghastly song of the dull-pink pony as their rune-engraved bones glimmered, snarling as they began to rush forwards. “Oh god!”

“-and I never have been one for the bright shining sun… or mornings!” Pinkamena added in a chipper voice as she leaned towards another Nibelung that was cowering behind its shield, and then she ripped the axe out of the chest it was currently buried in before swinging it savagely, smashing the shield of the terrified dwarf and knocking it flat on its back before she leapt on top of him, looking down with a grin. “But you know what I’ve always enjoyed?

“Massacre!” She arched her back, throwing her forelegs wide even as two Velites lunged at her, but with an almost-idle gesture she swatted one to the ground with the axe and Pinkie Pie managed to tackle the other one to the frosted earth with a wince of horror. “Bloody massacre!” Her axe swung down as the Nibelung beneath her shrieked for a moment before the blade buried between its ears. “Filthy massacre! Oh, everything’s so much brighter, to this brawling fighter, when there’s blood painting life’s boring canvas!

“Oh, massacre!” Pinkamena yanked her axe free as she leapt forwards, swinging it around in a wide crescent slash that ripped through another Velite and sent it backwards, before a Hellhound lunged at her… and was met with a hard hoof under the jaw, knocked sprawling stupidly on its back as Pinkie scrambled after the insane, murderous pony. “Bloody massacre! Filthy massacre! Oh, everything has more meaning, it gives me such a warm and fuzzy feeling, when my enemies lay in pieces in the sand!”

She slammed her axe down, burying it through the Hellhound’s chest with a savage glint in her eye, the demon dog shrieking as it burst apart, the earth pony barely noticing the frosty shrapnel that bounced off her body and tore small nicks across her frame as she opened her jaws and tilted her head back with a grin to begin another verse of her awful, jaunty song, not hearing the Nibelung charging towards her side with its own axe already brought back, swinging cruelly forwards-

She gasped at the sound of metal burying into flesh as something hard smacked into her spine and knocked her forwards a step, her back stiffening, her straight mane falling over her face as she slowly turned to stare at the Nibelung, which was grinning from beneath its metal helm, both hands locked on the pole of the axe, the head of which had sunk deep into the pink back of a pony… and Pinkie Pie smiled weakly, half-clinging her back, rasping hard as her legs shook beneath her. Blood flowed in a thick river down her body from the gaping wound before the Nibelung unceremoniously yanked its axe back, and Pinkie Pie collapsed on her back as Pinkamena turned around and fell to her knees, staring with disbelief, shaking her head mutely as her red-rimmed blue eyes almost glazed over and she whispered: “Sissy…”

The Nibelung laughed roughly as it began to draw its axe back, grinning mockingly down at her as Pinkamena looked up, mute and stupefied for a moment longer, her mane falling in a curtain over her face… and then she screamed in rage and denial, springing suddenly upwards with the speed and strength of a cheetah and tackling the wolf-pig onto its back, its axe flying from its hands as it gargled in surprise before a hoof slammed down with enough force to knock its head off, then front hooves crashed down again, again and again, Pinkamena shrieking with fury as she brought blow-after-blow crashing down into the dwarf’s features until it lay dead and broken.

And when she looked up, breathing hard, she saw Rainbow Dash standing with tears in his eyes next to her, shield raised and roaring challenges that she couldn’t hear: it was like she had fallen deaf, only muffled sound making it through, everything around her seeming to sluggishly grind along at half speed. On her other side, Aleksandr was bringing his hammer down into the shield of a Nibelung, and the dwarf was staggering backwards under the blow that hit with such force she was able to watch, in strange, clinical detachment, the way the metal warped, the way the wolf-pig’s arm bucked… before slowly – and yet so quickly, it seemed, compared to the others – she climbed off the Nibelung’s dead body and turned to silently stride over to where Pinkie Pie was gasping on her back in a pool of her own blood.

Rarity was on her other side with Spike, the unicorn casting the few spells Twilight had taught her into the crowd as the dragon lashed back and forth with his sword even as tears streamed down his face… and slowly, Pinkamena slipped down beside Pinkie Pie, sitting on her haunches and pulling her up and close, whispering: “Why, sissy? You were the better one. You were the pure one. They loved you… they needed you, even. Not me. You should have let me die. They hate me. I deserve to die. I deserve to die instead of you.”

“But you’re my sister, right? And I love you. You made me do some bad things but you were… just confused. You were scary, but… I knew from the nightmares you have every night, it’s not your fault.” Pinkie whispered in response, smiling weakly before she coughed quietly, a bit of blood bubbling up between her lips before she whispered: “Take this.”

She silently touched the Element of Laughter around her neck, and Pinkamena shook her head mutely, whispering: “No, I… I can’t use that. I’m… evil, I’m a monster. I’m not laughter, I… I hate laughter.”

“You hate being alone. And we’re twins… right?” Pinkie Pie smiled faintly, and Pinkamena swallowed thickly, the two barely aware of the chaos around them even as Hellhounds charged forwards… the two hearing only each other even as there was a massive crack before lightning exploded downwards from the sky, shocking the others with the horror of it as Twilight screamed her fury from where she was charging forwards, looking helpless even as her spell disintegrated the Hellhounds. Everything moved slow, except for them: sisters and opposites, but connected, parallels and reflections of the same thing, one in darkness, the other in light. “I love you. Thanks for being with me… I know… I was a pain sometimes.”

“Sissy…” Pinkamena trembled as Pinkie Pie’s head fell forwards and her body shivered before falling still… and then the gray-pink pony dropped her head against her chest, shivering violently as she gritted her teeth, a single sob wrenching through her body before she snarled and leapt upwards, yanking the necklace almost cruelly from around Pinkie Pie’s neck with one hoof, half-turning as reality, sound, and everything else faded back to normal around her, but her mind tottered on the brink of insanity as she snarled: “Party’s over!”

She shoved the Element of Laughter around her neck, and it trembled violently, as if in fear, before Pinkamena grinned darkly even through the tears that painted her cheeks before she leaned down, tensed her body, and then simply rushed forwards, out of the protective circle that had formed. She pounced on top of the closest Velite, crushing it into the ground and leaping immediately towards another, ripping fearlessly into their ranks, a whirlwind of rage and despair that no blade could slow, no shield could stop.

Ignominious cursed under his breath at the sight of the small army he had gathered being pushed back despite their initial, seemingly-assured victory… but Luna had already blown away the thralls sent to distract the winged unicorn, and both her spells and Twilight Sparkle’s were rending through the Nibelung and Velites. To his horror, the Hellhounds had not lasted nearly as long as expected: they had done much damage, oh yes, but the ponies had faced them with surprising tenacity and fearlessness, fighting savagely back… and he could even see the beast from Ginnungagap in the distance, throwing chaotic magic into the mix, the situation at hand rapidly worsening as Ignominious cursed before he looked down in surprise to see Scrivener Blooms charging headlong towards the wagon, a few cuts and bruises over his frame but the earth pony heedless of his scrapes in his fury.

Ignominious cursed and half-turned with a wince over his shoulder… but the tundra beyond was barren and empty, all his soldiers having moved into play. There would be no retreat for them… but no victory, either, not unless Luna was killed. And he couldn’t risk overexerting the little power he had left… his body was still visibly battered from the terrible fall down the mountain, cracks still shone weakly in the darkness of his smoldering frame, and there were only a few faces struggling vainly to push through the blackness of his body.

He half-turned and ran along the top of the wagon instead, and Scrivener skidded to a surprised halt before turning to run parallel to him as Ignominious leapt to the next wagon in line, the earth pony shouting: “Come down here and fight me like a stallion, coward!”

Ignominious snarled, leaping towards the third wagon… and then a lasso shot up and wrapped around his neck, the demon’s eyes bulging before Applejack yanked hard back on it, and the creature gargled as he was yanked out of midair and slammed face-first into the ground. The female grinned, beginning to step forwards… and then only staring in surprise at the violence with which Scrivener Blooms smashed into Ignominious, knocking him backwards against the wagon as the charcoal earth pony rose up with a snarl of fury as his front hooves crashed in a vicious tattoo up along the demon’s chest and into his features, every blow carrying enough force to knock his head back against the wood of the wagon as he shouted: “Do you know how many lives you’ve ruined? How much pain you’ve inflicted?”

Ignominious hissed in pain, then he burst into black smoke, the rope falling through his incorporeal body as Scrivy’s hoof slammed into the wall of the wagon and tore through the wooden paneling, wincing in pain as he collided with the stud below as Ignominious reformed and lunged towards him… before he screamed in agony as three spears of blue light tore through his frame in midair, solid and glowing brightly, pinning him to the side of the wagon as he flailed weakly and Luna approached slowly, her horn and eyes glowing as she said quietly: “Coward… nay. Thou art worse than a coward. Worse than scum… and now, as the last of thine army falls into oblivion, as those who haven’t already fled are killed… now thou shalt die, Ignominious, demon. Thou attacks us, honorless wretch, and… thou hast killed somepony… who was…”

She halted, glancing towards Twilight Sparkle as the winged unicorn approached, tears falling down her cheeks, shaking her head mutely as Rainbow Dash walked towards Applejack, who frowned… then her face fell in horror at the sight of Aleksandr silently cradling Pinkie Pie’s body, the minotaur’s head bowed quietly forwards as Pinkamena walked beside him, staring emotionlessly forwards, bloody trails of tears dripping from her eyes. There was silence as the last of the sounds of battle faded, as the last Nibelung fled towards the forest… and left behind a terrible battleground, the tundra scarred, the frost and wind howling in misery over the corpses of dwarves, broken pieces of Velite… and maybe a dozen dead ponies and several fallen minotaurs.

All eyes turned towards the demon on the wall, and he chuckled weakly… then screamed and threw his head back, black corruption bursting from his jaws, as Luna’s eyes flashed and the spears of blue light buried through his body became enormous, twisting screws, bucking violently before he threw his head back and shrieked: “Hólmgöngulög!”

There was silence at this strange, alien word, as Scrivener dropped his head forwards and Luna’s eyes flashed… and then she grinned slowly, cruelly, leaning forwards and asking in a dangerous voice: “And what madness compels thee to think that I will give thee a chance to escape again? That I have any reason to obey things thou mouths and whines in the hopes that others will show him the mercy he does not deserve, that that thou has no true concept of thyself?”

Ignominious rasped violently as all eyes looked towards him, the demon horse trembling violently and shivering as the blue, screwed spears buried through his body glinted dangerously… and then he gave a twisted, broken grin as he turned towards Luna, his eyes desperate and maddened and miserable as he whispered: “Because you are so desperate to show… you’re better than me. Because I know you won’t risk your honor… because I know your bloodlust, L-Luna… and that you would relish the chance to battle and kill me, one final time, no tricks, no magic… and because it doesn’t matter if I survive. Unless I kill you… unless I… s-succeed in the mission I was given… Ekleíp, and worse, those they serve… are going to come for me at sunrise, and they will destroy me.”

He laughed weakly, rasping: “You were right, Luna… oh… you were r-r-right as always… it was always too good to be true. So honor me, my beloved favorite, with one last duel… one last death, just me and you…”

Luna was silent… and then she looked over her shoulder at Twilight Sparkle, but the violet pony only hung her head and closed her eyes, whispering: “He’s a monster. And yet he’s so… pathetic. I’m not saying he shouldn’t be stopped… that he shouldn’t suffer for everything he’s done. But you’re better than him… and I know you’ll make the choice that shows that.”

The sapphire winged unicorn slowly gazed to the other side, looking towards where Pinkamena was sitting silently beside Aleksandr and Rainbow Dash… and the dull-pink, listless pony looked up and blinked slowly, then she reached up and silently touched the Element of Laughter hanging around her neck as the Pegasus reached a hoof up to rest on her shoulder… and for the first time, she didn’t try and shrug it off, push contact away, as she whispered: “Sissy wouldn’t want me to take revenge. Besides… he’s killed me, but he’s killed you, too. He’s killed half of me… but he’s killed a lot more of you. You deserve to make this choice. I never deserved anything. After all… in the past, I would have done the same, before you and Twilight and… sissy… helped me see…”

“I understand, Luna. And for once, I don’t think he’s lying.” Scrivener Blooms said softly, reaching out and wrapping a foreleg around her silently… and Luna nodded silently as she looked forwards before her horn gave a faint pulse, the spears of blue light shattering and making the demon horse gargle as he fell to the ground with a loud thud, convulsing once on his side before slowly forcing himself to his hooves.

The black unicorn grinned callously over them all, bitterness and loathing and misery warring over his face… but the faces of ponies that pushed out against his body moved slowly, swimming through his hide, gazing with silent, almost-recognition outwards. And slowly, Ignominious began to stride forwards, the group parting for him as Luna turned and fell into step beside him, neither looking at the other even as the demon rasped: “Horns and hoof only. This is a duel to the death, and neither of us shall flee, nor seek better ground… is this acceptable?”

“I am the offended party, I shall set the rules. But these are acceptable, yes… and it shall be one-on-one. Scrivener Blooms shall not participate. This is between us, to settle things.” Luna said quietly, as the survivors of the battle followed them to the road. Ignominious and Luna halted here, beneath the light of the setting moon and the twinkling stars… and then the winged unicorn glanced up as her horn glowed, before she lowered her head forwards… and the moon rumbled silently downwards, vanishing from sight, leaving them in a sunless dawn with only the light of the stars shining over them.

And yet all could see, as the group formed one large, loose circle around the two on instinct, Scrivener Blooms sitting at the front of the encircling ponies behind Luna, Ignominious snarling as gray light spilled through the air, pre-dawn’s radiance beginning to spill from the horizon… and then Ignominious set himself, breathing hard as he leaned forwards, and he whispered: “I am ready, Luna Lightblade. Ignominious, Paladin of Equestria, Second Order of the Holy Skies. One of us dies here… and if you knew the truth behind the veil, you would let me kill you, my sweet. I just want us to be together, after all… is that so much to ask?”

“It was not the question that I had problems with, Ignominious… it was how thou went about seeking the answer. Thou has violated, maimed, and murdered my friends and family. Thou poisoned me with darkness, seeking to convert me to thy ways, using a wretched demon that was far stronger than thou could have ever been and that I all the same overcame with the help of friends, of family, of love…” Luna closed her eyes, bowing her head forwards and saying quietly: “Thou hast been nothing but a disappointment.”

Ignominious snarled, then he ran forwards, his horn glowing blackly before he lunged… and even with her eyes closed, starry locks sweeping backwards and sizzling around her, Luna easily parried the attack, horn glowing blue as it swept to the side and elegantly knocked the strike away before she leaned forwards, almost bowing as she lashed her horn outwards and ripped a deep, white-glowing wound down the male’s chest.

The demon staggered backwards with a gargle, and then Luna’s eyes opened, midnight-cyan irises cold and focused… and it was worse than anger, worse than despair, worse than emptiness, as she stepped forwards into another slash. It ripped a second wound across the demon’s chest, and he cursed before stabbing downwards in retaliation… but Luna easily twisted herself out of the way, then swept her foreleg forwards and wrapped it around the black unicorn’s neck, forcing his head down as she slammed a hoof into his kidney and then yanked him hard to the side, throwing him easily down to the dirt and sending him skidding over the frosted tundra of the road.

He rasped in pain and snarled as he tried to roll onto his stomach… and instead raised his head directly into a savage volley of blows from Luna’s front hooves that smashed back and forth against his features, sending white cracks spreading through the demon’s face as he howled in agony before she swung a hoof into his horn, knocking his head back as she dropped her body low, then arched her back and stabbed upwards in a lethal swing of her horn that tore through the underside of his jaw and pierced out the back of his head, and Ignominious’s eyes bulged in horror… before he yanked himself backwards, gagging and bleeding corruption, the white cracks over his body pulsing violently as a face of a pony pushed out against his hide with a gasp… then sparked out of existence.

The demon staggered drunkenly on the spot, beaten, broken, barely able to keep to his hooves before he looked up as Luna ran towards him… and he cursed and staggered to the side, then fell heavily with a loud grunt of pain when the winged unicorn swung at him, inadvertently dodging her attack. Luna stumbled past, and Ignominious scrambled to his hooves, putting on a sudden burst of speed as he looked over his shoulder and tried to scamper to a distance… then looked up and screamed as his eyes locked on Scrivener Blooms: “This is all your fault!”

Scrivy’s eyes widened as Luna spun around… and then the demon horse burst apart into black smoke that zigzagged violently forwards and surrounded the earth pony, Scrivy cursing as he felt it flooding into him, back arching, body spasming as Twilight Sparkle screamed and Luna skidded to a halt… but then she only grinned savagely as she closed her eyes, saying coldly: “And as thou has never learned… cheaters never prosper.”

Scrivener Blooms glanced calmly up inside his own mind, surrounded by darkness, as Ignominious loomed over him, still wounded but now titanic as a mountain, looking down at him with fury as he leaned down and roared: “Before you, her heart was mine! Oh, miserable little slave-hoof, you made her weak, you made her pathetic, and now I’ll kill you, kill her, and get her back, back where she belongs, back belonging to me!”

He rose a hoof, grinning insanely… but then faltered as blue mist twisted along the ground and formed into Luna, the winged unicorn looking coldy up as she stood beside Scrivener Blooms and said quietly: “This breaks the rules of honor, Ignominious. Thou forfeits the duel, and thine life… some would say, thy very soul. But then again, thy soul was never thine to give, was it? Thou gave that away to Helheim long ago.”

“So what? The odds inside here are far greater than the odds outside… I may have to battle you both at once but I am inside you, Scrivener Blooms, there is a demon in your mind!” Ignominious leaned forwards, slamming his hoof down in front of the two ponies… but they barely flinched, and the demon frowned as Luna smiled grimly and Scrivy only looked up at him with disgust and pity.

“You’re right, Iggy. There’s a demon in my mind.” Scrivy said softly… and Ignominious frowned before a shadow fell over him, a chill racing through the dark unicorn’s body before he slowly looked over his shoulder… and stared in horror up at the sight of Nightmare Moon: for even as gargantuan as he was, she still towered over him, making him but a toy in comparison to her dark glory, her eyes glowing and her fanged maw grinning savagely.

The demon stumbled… and then his body glowed dark blue as Nightmare Moon’s horn flashed, lifted into the air even as he struggled as the dark winged unicorn leaned forwards and said almost tenderly: “Ignominious… shouldn’t you be more eager to meet me, to know me? You’re responsible, in a way, for letting me manifest after all… without that creature you sent to us, I would have always remained buried deep in Luna’s subconscious, nothing but bloodlust and passion… not what I am today in the here and now. Not sentient; not alive as I am.”

She reached a hoof up, stroking it gently under the demon’s chin, forcing his eyes up to stare into hers as she whispered in a loving voice: “Why don’t I give you a demonstration of what I can do, shall I? Let’s compare notes… the demon and Nightmare Moon. It’s rare that I get a playmate, after all… lovely Luna and sweet Scrivener Blooms both think I’m too rough.”

Ignominious’s eyes widened… and in reality, Scrivener Blooms twitched, then he reared back, gritting his teeth, before he leaned forwards with a snarl of pain as a mass of black smog burst from his body and jaws, rapidly twisting in on itself into the shivering, half-melted body of the demon. Ignominious staggered drunkenly away from the earth pony, gargling and drooling corruption, giving a wracked, miserable sob from unknowable time spent in unknowable tortures despite the fact only mere seconds had passed in reality… and Luna’s horn crashed into his chest before she butted him upwards, her front hooves slamming into his body in a rapid volley before he could even become entirely physical.

He was half-flung, half-stumbled in the other direction… and Scrivener’s own hooves smashed across his face and jaw, ripping back and forth before the creature was sent stumbling to the side, the demon looking up with disbelief on its maimed, shattered features as Luna and Scrivy lunged at the same time. A front hoof from each pony crashed into his face, shattering his muzzle, smoke bursting up with a flash of terrible light as Ignominious was sent crashing backwards to roll several times before the last screaming face on the demonic equine’s side burst upwards into smog.

The demon shivered, laying in a crumpled heap as smoke slowly rolled up off his body… and it shrank slowly before solidifying, little-by-little, as the gathered ponies watched with shock and disgust. Finally, what was left behind was a wretched, emaciated gray unicorn that lay upon the ground, gasping for breath, with no mane, no tail, and a cracked, useless horn. Ignominious shuddered as Luna and Scrivener Blooms approached and looked down at him, as the sun slowly rose behind them and bathed the pathetic creature in its light, the once-terrible demon looking up with half-blind brown eyes as he whispered: “P-Please… Luna…”

“I have had enough of listening to thee, monster.” Luna said coldly, shaking her head as she snarled, starry mane twisting vibrantly around her. And all ponies present watched as the winged unicorn leaned slowly down, as Ignominious shivered and looked up pleadingly, brokenly… before she gritted her teeth in disgust and looked up at the sky overhead, ordering loudly: “Clean the campsite, gather the dead and the Velite bones… we can offer no grand funeral, but at least that they shall not be used for evil ends, at least the peace provided in purifying flame! Tend to thy friends and family, tend to the weak and wounded!”

For a moment, ponies lingered… but then they silently went about their jobs as Twilight Sparkle strode forwards, reaching up and resting a hoof on Luna’s shoulder as she looked down coldly at the emaciated unicorn before she smiled… and it was a cruel, merciless smile as she said softly: “I shall not kill thee, Ignominious. Oh no, for that would be mercy… and I see for once that thou wert not lying.”

Ignominious trembled at this as he looked up… and Scrivener and Twilight both gazed silently upwards to see the terrible shapes in the forest. Black wolves with glowing red eyes that stalked silently, and ghosts that strode beside them, ice crystals glimmering in the air around these shades as mist floated off their bodies, the visible faces of these specters of ponies ruthless and emotionless as Ignominious began to shake his head wildly, reaching a hoof up and begging: “N-No, Luna, Luna, my beloved, oh no… please… please don’t leave me… Scrivener Blooms, T-Twilight Sparkle! P-please, I made a mistake!”

“Twilight Sparkle… head to the encampment. Check on Scarlet Sage.” Luna said calmly, and Twilight shivered as she looked at the sapphire winged unicorn… but then she nodded slowly, turning away and heading across the battlefield their camp had become. And for only a moment longer, Scrivener Blooms and Luna stood, looking down at Ignominious, before they turned as well… and behind them, the awful, terrible wolves seemed to growl in appreciation as Ignominious shrieked miserably and attempted to crawl after them.

Then, there was an awful crunching… before both ponies halted as Ignominious laughed insanely even through the terrible sounds behind them, screaming: “Fine! I win anyway, Luna… because while all your backs were turned, they took her, and you never even noticed, just like we planned to make sure you would suffer however this battle ended… Ekleíp has your precious little filly now!”

Luna and Scrivener Blooms both whirled around… but they saw nothing behind them now, except for a splatter of blood where Ignominious had once been… and a broken, cracked black horn that lay amidst the crimson, as a shout rose up from the wagons that told them the last words the demon Ignominious had spoken had been the truth.

Comments

[NotATree]

This chapter hit me directly in the feels man

[Icthelight]

“I. Stop. Go away.”
Intentional?

[The_WolfGirl]

At the beginning of the chapter I said, 'Something really bad is going to happen to Pinkie Pie. I should stop and prepare for every eventuality; stuffed animals, blankie, and a puppy dog.' Then I thought, 'No I can take it." I wish I had listened to myself, tears are everywhere. BlackRoseRaven, I hate you in the best ways for killing Pinkie Pie.
I am going to go get a tissue and dry of every article of cloth around me, goodbye.

[Narcosis]

I had pretty much forgotten this chapter, and I am not happy that I had to experience it again with no prior knowledge of what was going to happen.
I think I'm going to keep a running total of how many times you've made me cry: so far it's 5

[AshChaser]

4286095
I wish I had what you did...
I just had asheet and pillow, and not even a fluffy one...

[green477]

So, finally I made it to this chapter.

It's kind of a special one for me. As far as I remember, when I was reading it for the first time, I was listening to Black Sun Aeon - A Song For My Funeral.

I think I mentioned once that for me a good story and a fitting song can amplify each other - the song creates a proper aura, so to say, which makes reading more emotional and helps to imagine events of the story more vividly. And after that, when I listen to the song, it reminds me of the story, and it gives more meaning to listening.

I was so immersed in this song that I really started to listen to this band a lot. Now, after more than a year, it takes first place in my lastfm profile and probably the same place in my heart (I hope I'm not too cheesy). So, thanks for writing this story and this chapter, because there's a possibility that without them I wouldn't listen now to all these awesome bands I discovered while searching for something similar.

[Sylthsaber]

Everyone is talking about how sad this chapter was but the only thing i can think is "what was the inspiration for Pinkamina's Massacre song and what tune am i supposed to sing it to. I want to know dammit!"

[Yami Vizzini]

Huh... "Sissy" was also kind of short for "sister" in the end, huh?

You'd think Luna would have gone to ensure Scarlet's safety as soon as the attack started, but whatever.

[Revan]

Pinkie Pie is dead.

The universe no longer makes sense.

[Seraphimus]

and as horrible as this was, what happened to pinkie... all I can think of is, it was inevitable wasn't it? One of them had to die.

[cometstarling]

Damn it.....

[thaecrasis]

Nooooo, Pinkie!!!!! ;-;