Those Ponies, believe that they are superior, that I was trying to hurt them. No, no matter what I am blamed for, no matter who much they want be to leave, I will stay and protect them. I lost my old home I'm not losing this one.
Long ago, before the three tribes united, there was a queen. Now this queen was the cruelest in the lands, anyone who opposed her was torn apart by her army of monsters. When the tribes discovered this land they claimed it as there own deeming the lands name as Equestria. Little did they know the queen was there, and when the queen found out she was furious.
She led her army of monsters on a rampage and destroyed almost all the ponies held dear. Two ponies who where the combination of all three tribes made a deal with the three tribes. If they beat the queen the two ponies would rule Ponydom, the three tribes not knowing what else to do agreed. The two ponies along with the remainder of the three tribes banded together, defeated the queen, and banished her to a realm of shadows.
This story spread during the end of the year when the shadows are at their strongest is believed to be just an old filly's story. They would be half-correct, the ponies in their xenophobic ways brought it upon themselves when they attacked the queen out of fear. Retaliating the queen defended herself and summoned her allies to protect her, the ponies, desperate, made a pact that would leave them permanently enslaved to the will of all alicorns. And all the queen wanted was to help the ponies.
I smirked as I looked over the shoulder of the Magis as she called the story out in truth, if only she knew the half of it. Poor Celly had to banish her sister, I liked Luna she always talked to me while Celly whenever she saw me growled, unless she was in day court, at which I just teased her while she tried to restrain herself. 'Those where the days.' I thought to myself as Twilight started to walk away, I was traveling near or in her shadow because tomorrow things will get interesting.
Luna, or as in her "emo" form now in which she calls herself Nightmare Moon, will be released from the moon. If she is still Nightmare Moon then I will most likely get free from the prolonged nighttime, the moon should turn red when she is released, which will in turn release me as a blood moon is a beacon in this realm to freedom. I sighed as Twilight turned down Lemon Hearts invitation about going to the party for Moondancer, honestly this Magis is more anti-social than Malicious Edge, and that's saying a lot.
"Spike! SPIKE!" She called out as she entered the astronomy tower knocking said baby dragon backwards onto the present that had flew out of his claws onto the floor. Spike picked himself up as Twilight looked at him in a deadpan "Spike, what is that?"
Spike sighed and grumbled out "It WAS a present for Moondancer."
"Spike you know we don't have time for those things especially now." She said lightly glaring at the dragon before her eyes softened up. Until widening in fear as she raced up the stairs and started looking for a book before calling out to Spike "Spike where is Prophecies and Predictions?"
Spike climbed up a nearby ladder and grabbed a heavy book from a shelf "WHOA!" Spike cried out as he fell towards the floor as the ladder gave out under him from his and the books weight. Twilight used her magic to grab him and set him on the floor before grabbing the book out of his claws.
"N-N-N." She said under her breath while skimming through the pages "Ah ha!" She exclaimed as she found the prophecy about Luna. "On the longest day of the 1000th year the stars will aid in her escape." Twilight said after skimming through the section just looking for when Luna would return and how to beat her. The Elements of Harmony, of course, where the only thing that could defeat her, but old sunbutt lost her connection but I guarantee that she already had a plan for Twilight and the other bearers.
I already knew Twilight was the bearer cause of her symbol being the element of magic itself and her ability to control magic with ease, I bet she could even learn Shadow magic and Chaos magic with a bit of luck. Twilight shivered as if she felt something 'I got to move she is sensing me.' I thought as I left her shadow and went into the shadow in the corner. Not the best spot but it was better than being detected, Twilight would have noticed if I went into Spike from the gathering of shadows that would have appeared around him.
Spike looked at Twilight confused before she cleared her throat and said "Spike, take a message."
'I think Celestia is trolling me.' I thought as Spike re-read the message Celestia sent back to Twilight in response to her letter. Literally minutes after she returned the message I had to hop back into Twilight's shadow because Celestia was sending her to Ponyville, doing this not that long after leaving had consequences. After all I had to drain myself slightly when I stayed in a shadow for prolonged periods to make sure that I wouldn't be felt by the one I am dwelling in.
My headache that I gained from staying in her shadow kept increasing in ferocity so when the carriage landed I immediately darted towards the closest alley which wasn't that far and I could move to the next easily. Spike spoke some words to Twilight and pointed towards a pink Terra that was bouncing up and down, when Twilight approached her the Terra gasped loudly and disappeared in a blur as Twilight face twisted into one of agitation. After Twilight calmed herself down a bit they both left towards the farm at the edge of town as I followed them and when I couldn't move through the alleys I moved through the trees.
Once they reached there they looked around until they spotted an orange mare with three apples as her symbol and quickly approached her. Twilight held out her hoof to shake the mares and the mare gripped on like it was the last thing she would ever do and shook her hoof like there was no tomorrow. After that little fiasco the two talked and then suddenly the orange mare cried out "SOUPS ON EVERYPONY!" And a stampede of ponies with apple related symbols stormed towards them.
I actually felt sorry for Twilight once she got out of there two hours later with a belly filled to the brim with apple related foods I had gone back to her shadow once it was over. She tried to shake off the effects of the feast but it was still in her as she asked Spike what was next to which he replied with there should be a weather pony clearing up the sky named Rainbow Dash. Just as they looked up we heard a voice shout "INCOMING!" As Twilight, with me still in her shadow, were sent tumbling as we were tangled up with mare that had a rainbow mane and a lightning bolt and cloud as her symbol.
She quickly tried to dry Twilight off and her hair ended up as a mess. Twilight angrily said to her "Aren't you supposed to be making sure the sky is clear."
The mare, who I assumed was Rainbow Dash, nodded it off and said "Yeah Yeah Yeah, I'll do it, just as soon as I'm done practicing." She said as she started to do loop-dee-loops in the sky.
"Practicing for what?" Spike asked her.
"Why the Wonderbolts, duh!" She responded with a roll of her eyes will Twilight eyed her wearily.
"THE Wonderbolts, the fastest fliers in Equestria." Twilight said will I sighed 'Xenophobic bigot, believing they have the right to claim my land and change its name.' I thought angrily as Rainbow Dash started to responded
"That's them." She said
Twilight laughed a little "As if they let a pegasus that can't keep the sky clear for one day into the Wonderbolts." She said a bit snidely but it got the job done as Rainbow Dash went into her face.
"Hey! I could clear this sky in ten second flat!" She said confidently while smirking.
"Prove it." Twilight challenged as the mare raced into the sky and true to her word did it in ten seconds flat, Twilight's jaw hit the floor as she and Spike left to find the other two on the list.
The other two ponies she visited I didn't find really eventful that much, well the Skyborn one was following us but that's it. When we arrived where she was going to stay, which ironically was the library, the lights were turned off "Now where's the lights?" Twilight asked as we were assaulted with the light and her shadow was removed forcing me upstairs but I still heard a yell.
"SURPRISE!!!" Is what came from the yell as I heard Twilight yelp in fright. After a very tiny bit Twilight stormed upstairs and went to the bathroom where I heard water running from the sink.
When she came out of the restroom she went and climbed further upstairs to the bedroom where I followed her, the entire room was dark before Twilight grabbed a lantern from the nearby shelf and lit it with her magic. Twilight sighed as the day turned to night, once the transition was complete she whispered while looking at the moon "Please let Nightmare Moon just be a filly's story."
I myself sighed as I looked up at the stars that would aid her in returning to this world "I wish it was." I said not expecting Twilight to hear me as she turned around.
"H-Hello?" She said in a confused voice as she looked around, searching for somepony to be in the room but didn't find anypony. When she didn't find anything she just shrugged it off as her imagination, all through this I had my "hands" over my "mouth" thinking 'How in the ---.' after I realized Twilight had fallen asleep, I decided to follow her example and took a nap while waiting.
We were both woken up a few hours later by Spike swinging the upstairs door open, before the light was able to catch me I clung to Twilight's shadow. "Come on Twilight!" He called out as she tried to keep herself awake "It's almost time for Celestia to raise the sun." After he said this Twilight nodded before walking out, but not before taking one final glance at the moon which was now barren of the ghostly image of Nightmare Moon.
When we got to the town hall the entirety of it was already stuffed to the brim with ponies, and since it was dark out all of the world was a shadow so I just walked by Twilight. Inside there was podiums set up everywhere covered in wreaths the spiraled upwards, on top of a stage in front of everypony a grey Terra who was getting ready for a speech "Fillies and gentlecolts!" She called out getting everyponys attention "Tonight we have gathered for the 1000th year of the Summer Sun Celebration, where Celestia will raise the and begin this years rotation of the moon and sun." All the ponies, besides Twilight, stomped their hooves in reply.
I looked towards the balcony 'If only they knew that there was two reason for this festival, the rotation which keeps me trapped, and Nightmare Moon's day of imprisonment.' I thought to myself as turn away to try and unveil "Celestia" but when the curtain fell there was nopony there. When the white Magis that Twilight talked to earlier about decorations came back from looking behind the curtains she stammered out "She's gone!"
The pink Terra from earlier that was standing next to Twilight chirped out "Oh! She's good." While pointing towards the white Magis, I looked towards the moon and smirked as it started to dye itself red, I started to feel my original power return as my return grew closer. As the ponies started to panic shadows gathered around the balcony as Nightmare decided it was time to make her entrance, the shadows condensed and Nightmare gave flap of her wings.
"Oh my beloved subjects It's been so long since I've seen your precious sun loving faces." She said venomously as almost everypony cowered, all except Rainbow Dash and me, though I couldn't be seen and I could beat her so I had no reason to be afraid.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO OUR PRINCESS?!?!" Rainbow Dash yelled out as she tried to rush towards Nightmare, but the orange mare from earlier, Applejack I believe, pulled her back before she could do anything she would regret.
She laughed darkly "Why? Am I not royal enough for you?" She said before switching to serious face and voice "Don't you know who I am?"
"Oh, Oh, more guessing games!" The pink Terra next to us said as she started to guess "Uh, Hokey Smokes, how bout Queen Meanie, no I know Black Snooty, Black Snooty!" She said before she got an apple stuffed in her mouth to shut her up from Applejack.
She went strait into the butterfly yellow Skyborn that followed Twilight to the library "Does my crown not mean anything after being imprisoned for a 1000 years." She said before going into the white Magis' face "Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?"
Twilight stepped up to the front "I did! And I know who you are, your the mare in the moon, Nightmare Moon!" She said confidently as everypony behind her gasped.
Nightmare Moon chuckled darkly "Well Well Well, somepony who remembers me. Then you also know why I am here." She accused her, Twilight lost all confidence at that and curled into a fetal position while trying and failing to answer "Remember this day little ponies." Nightmare said cruelly "THE NIGHT SHALL LAST FOREVER!" She called out as the moon turned fully red, I returned to the realm of shadows and ran towards the location where I could release myself.
Ironically it was right next to Twilight so I didn't have to go far, I rushed in and sealed the entrance behind me, don't need monsters from this realm in the physical plane. When I entered back into reality everypony nearby gasped as a rift opened up next to Twilight, when I looked around the room two guards had tried to arrest Nightmare Moon while said pony was looking at me "YOU!" She snarled while glaring at me while Twilight was gawking.
"Hello Luna." I said to her silently hoping I would be able to get through the thing possessing her, Twilight gasped next to me as she recognized my voice and was confused on just what I was.
She growled at me and bared her fangs "That is not my name. Return to the shadows, NOW!" She demanded I chuckled at that as I used the shadows to make my armor, older than her, appeared on me.
"I've waited 10,000 years Nightmare, release Luna now or I will destroy you." I said as calm as I could as I glared at the Nightmare possessing Luna.
She laughed like that was the funniest joke she'd ever heard before look at me directly in the eyes with a cruel smirk "Like you have the power." She challenged, I growled at her stupidity as I used my powers call upon one of my oldest allies.
"INFERNO WING, TEACH HER A LESSON!" I roared out as I used my powers to summon Inferno Wing who laughed darkly as she appeared while Nightmares eyes turned to pinpricks not expect my powers to be anywhere near what they were right now yet. She used Luna's powers to turn into a cloud of stardust and flew out towards the Everfree Forest.
"Permission to follow her my queen." Inferno Wing asked while I glared out towards the Everfree Forest.
"No, return when I call you again." I said to her as I turned my armor back to shadows which fell at my feet, Inferno Wing nodded as she disappeared in blue fire. I turned around to notice that everyone was gawking at me while Twilight was nowhere to be found, I ignored their looks and left towards where I thought Twilight would be, the library.
When I arrived at the library the five mares Twilight had met had confronted her and they were talking on how to defeat the Nightmare inside Luna, though they just called it Nightmare Moon. Nightmare is a species that core functionality is to control its host and use the host for its own twisted desires, which commonly become affiliated with the hosts wish though they have no control over his/her actions. I growled slightly at the mention of the elements, I was hoping that she wouldn't fully go into the only option she could comprehend. I sighed knowing I can't let my feud with the Light and what it created go far enough to destroy my old home.
I silently followed them until they arrived in front of the Everfree Forest 'Home.' I thought to myself and shook it off I will rebuild it after I help save Luna from the Nightmare. They were traveling down a cliff when I saw Nightmare, in stardust form, cut off a chunk of the cliff, down below they're was a bunch timberwolves. I jumped down and used my powers to cushion my fall and summon my scythe, which I then used to cut the timberwolves apart and used my magic to send the remains to the shadows and hide myself as they were about to be able to see me.
I clenched my teeth when I saw Twilight about to hit the ground before Applejack caught her, she let go shortly afterwards where Rainbow and Fluttershy caught her and set her on the ground. I sighed in relief once they had left the clearing, I had sensed more timberwolves entering the area and would have attacked if they stayed. I made sure the timberwolves weren't following and caught up to the ponies which had somehow stopped a manticore from attacking them, from the corner of my eye I saw stardust but when I looked it was gone.
They entered a part of the woods that I hoped still wasn't here, when I ruled it was known as Haunted Hollow where the Ghosttrick spirits dwelled, when I was much younger than when I was banished one of them scarred me badly, I hoped to myself they weren't still here. They weren't but Nightmare had made it almost seem like it, using her powers she made grotesque faces on the trees, nowhere near Ghosttrick but it still startled me none the less. Pinkie Pie made me quietly laugh to myself, even in the midst of all that was happening she made everpony happy and smile at her antics.
They encounter a river where a sea serpents was having a tantrum 'Why, just why?' I thought to myself as he explained the reason why this was happening, he had his mustache cut in two. I think my eye twitch, Rarity cut off her tail and tied it to the severed half of the mustache, making it complete but in my opinion look terrible, could have just cut off the other end and it would have been the same.
The final obstacle............................... a bridge, a FREAKING BRIDGE! And what they did was just stupid, instead of Twilight using her magic to tie the rope of the bridge on the other side, they sent Rainbow Dash with a part of the bridge over to tie it. They were lucky Rainbow Dash was loyal because black counterparts of the Wonderbolts tried to convince her to join them, but to do so she had to leave the others behind. I got slightly anxious, cause she was literally being offered her dream, good thing is she chose her friends over her dreams, now that's loyalty that you rarely get to see.
I'd been keeping track of what they did, since they were most likely the elements. Rarity was most likely Generosity, Rainbow was most likely Loyalty, Pinkie Pie was most definitely Laughter, and taking a wild guess Applejack is Honesty something must of happened on the cliff. Twilight I already knew was Magic, when they went into the castle that was across from the bridge Twilight asked them to leave while she tried to create the "spark".
A cloud of stardust slipped through the window and moved around the elements Twilight was blown away from the elements while I was pushed back and my spell was dispelled. Twilight not noticing me ran towards the elements as a powerful teleportation spell was being channeled, just as it went off Twilight jumped in with me tracing the spell and shadow walking to the spell caster.
We where in a tower that was light by torches that had ghost blue fire. In front of me was Twilight and Nightmare Moon, Nightmare was standing in front of Luna's old throne smirking confidently. She and Twilight hadn't noticed me yet so I put my invisibly spell back on, Nightmare than smashed the physical forms of the Elements "For re-assurance." She said as she started walking towards Twilight who started to back up "Did you really think you defeat me. No, you're just a foal, the night shall last FOREVER!" She started laughing cruelly as her mane and tail combined together and created a maelstrom over her head.
Twilight started to cry a little before she heard hoofsteps and the voices of the other elements climbing up the staircase. Twilight turned around "You think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that?" Nightmare Moon looked at her like she had lost her mind "Well your wrong! Because the spirits of the Elements of Harmony, are right here!" She cried out as the other bearers finished the trek up the staircase 'Those things need to become shorter.' I thought to myself 'That took them a while, but they got her faster than I thought they would.'
The shards of the elements physical form on the floor beneath Nightmares hooves went and gathered around the ponies "Applejack who reassured me in doubt represents the spirit of Honesty. Fluttershy who tamed the manticore with her compassion represents the spirit of Kindness. Pinkie Pie who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger represents the spirit of Laughter. Rarity who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift represent the spirit of Generosity. And Rainbow Dash who could not abandon her friends for her own hearts desire represent the spirit of Loyalty. The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us."
"But you don't have the sixth element, the spark didn't work!" Nightmare Moon cried out in desperation.
Twilight shook her head "But it did, a different kind of spark." She turned towards the other five "I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I really cared about all of you. The spark ignited inside me, when I realized that you all, are my FRIENDS!" The Elements of Magic's physical form appeared her shining brilliantly "You see Nightmare Moon, when those elements are ignited by the spark that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the sixth element, the Element of Magic!" She cried out as the element shards combined and formed necklaces for the other five which were placed on their necks, while Magic turned into a crown that rested itself on Twilight's head. Which then proceeded to charge together and launch a rainbow colored rainbow at Nightmare Moon who screamed in agony from the elements harmonic properties.
I lowered my hands from my face, I didn't even realize I had brought them up, I looked over to where Nightmare Moon was, Luna was there unconscious on her side. But what I didn't expect was black coated filly next to her with an ethereal mane and tail made of stardust, I went over to the filly and looked her over. She looked exactly like Nightmare Moon except she was much younger and when I did a magical scan, which with my magic would have showed a bit of the Light of Destruction, there was noting there except a bit of the Gentle Darkness, my power. I picked the filly up cradling and clouded her magic signature so no-one could track us, once that was done I shadow walked us underground, in the ruins of my old palace.
I looked around in what was left and growled, my home was all crumpled up and destroyed while being underground it was also filled with clumps of dirt, but the place still had breathing room and just room because of ancient enchantments I placed on long ago. 'Solaris, Lumara.' I thought 'If I ever hear from either of you I am going to kill you, even if you're still dead.' They had it coming to them for all of theirs sins, they said that they were all powerful, they only brought me down cause I wasn't expecting the Light of Destruction to intervene. I used my magic to quickly excavate a room, and transmuted the dirt into items that you commonly find in a bedroom such as a mirror, bed, lamp, and a dresser.
I laid the filly on the bed and checked again her magically again and then tried to estimate how long she would be asleep '7 to 8 hours before she wakes up, not exactly accurate but that give me time.' I thought to myself as I got up and walked out of that room to make another for myself and rest up a bit.
When Twilight woke up she looked around and noticed her friends waking up and the sun slowly rising over the hill outside the window. Rainbow Dash groaned as Applejack asked "E-Everypony okay?"
"Oh thank goodness!" Rarity exclaimed while looking at her tail while Fluttershy was looking at Rarity element
"Oh Rarity it's so lovely." Fluttershy said complimenting her element of harmony.
"I know I'll never part with it again!" She said while hugging her tail to her body.
Fluttershy shook her head and said "No, your necklace." Pointing to the element "It looks just like you cutie mark."
Rarity finally noticing the element looked down at it then her cutie mark before turning to Fluttershy and saw the same thing "So does your." She pointed out to Fluttershy.
Pinkie Pie bounded towards Applejack saying "Look at mine! Look at mine!" The others having similar responses to Rarity
"Gee Twilight, I reckoned you were spouting a lot of hooey, but I think we do represent the Elements of Harmony." Applejack said looking towards Twilight who shook her head in amusement.
"Indeed you do." Celestia said as the sun glowed and she appeared just in front of the window outside. When she appeared all of the ponies in the room, excluding Twilight, who gasped out Celestia's name, and the still unconscious Luna, bowed to the princess "Twilight Sparkle," Celestia said as she nuzzled Twilight who returned the favor "my faithful student, I knew you could do it." She finished as they parted.
"But you told me it was an old pony tale." Twilight said in disbelief.
Celestia coming up with a half-truth said "I told you you need to make some friends, nothing more. I saw the signs of Nightmare Moon's return and I knew it was you who had the magic inside to defeat her. But you could not unleash it until you could let true friendship into your heart." After that she turned towards Luna who was starting to wake up "Now if only another will as well, Princess Luna." Luna looked up to her sister in fear "It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this, it's time to put our difference behind us. We were meant to rule together little sister."
"Sister?" The mane six asked, confused.
Celestia continued on as if she hadn't heard them "Will you accept my friendship." Luna looked down in sorrow as the rest of the ponies in the room gazed at her expectantly, before Pinkie Pie broke that rule and fell down onto her face. Luna then suddenly rushed up to Celestia crying her eyes out.
"I'm so sorry, I missed you so much big sister!" Luna exclaimed into her neck.
Celestia choked up replied with "I-I've missed you too." Before wrapping her foreleg around her sister and pulled her closer, before Pinkie Pie ruined it again by starting to cry her eyes.
"HEY!" She suddenly exclaimed "You know what this calls for, A PARTY!" Before she was able to disappear Applejack caught her by the tail.
"Calm down sugarcube." Applejack said before pulling Pinkie Pie back "I believe we have a question for the two princesses." The rest of the mane 6, minus Pinkie Pie herself, nodded while Pinkie Pie groaned but went back to her usually bubbly self quickly.
Twilight cleared her throat and asked the question, a question Princess Celestia never want to her come from anyponys lips "Princess, back during the Summer Sun Celebration, after Nightmare Moon had appear, a strange creature appeared that wore black and gold armor with golden eyes appeared. Do you know what that thing is?" Princess Celestia stepped back, horror evident on her face "D-Did I do something wrong?" Twilight asked nervously, not understanding why her mentor was acting this way.
Celestia tried and failed to calmed herself a little "That creature, is the original ruler of Equestria."
"WHAT?!?!?!" The mane six shouted out in surprise.
Celestia cleared the ringing in her ears with a spell "She called herself Jaylen, the Supreme Queen of Darkness, she ruled over the land that we now call Equestria 10,000 years ago."
"D-Darkness?" Fluttershy squeaked out in terror.
Celestia continued "I hoped that when Nightmare Moon returned" Luna winced "she wouldn't be released from the shadows, but it seems I was incorrect. I'm sorry for asking this of you Twilight but I need you and your friend's help to find her and capture her!" She said, flaring out her wings for dramatic effect.
Twilight nodded believing in her teacher "We'll do our best to aid you Princess, right girls?" She asked towards the others who nodded in response. Celestia internally smirked 'Now I can get rid of the creature who turned Luna into that monster.' She thought to herself, oh how wrong she is.
I woke up a few hours later, one of the things that was different from Nightmare's room and mine was that I put a window in that could view the outside world, it was around three in the afternoon from the way the sun was positioned. I got up and decide I would try and find one of my allies before Nightmare woke up, I shadow walked into the castle above before dashing out of the castle into the forest.
Once I was a distance away from the castle I closed my eyes and used my magic to search for large sources of power. I ignored the nearby presence of shadow magic, and the two presences of Solar and Lunar magic respectively, I than felt a large source of a mix of shadow energy and draconian magic. I opened my eyes and rushed towards the presence, praying that it was who I thought it was.
As I got closer to the power I was intercepted by a tribe of deer "Halt!" The buck with the largest antlers, who I guessed was in charge, yelled towards me "This area is forbidden to all trespassers, leave now and I will show you mercy." The entire time he and the other deer were glaring at me.
I growled "I have no time for this." I said as I used my powers to summon out Inferno Wing "Leave and I might show you mercy for your insolence." Inferno Wing backed that up by hissing at them and lighting her claws on fire with her shadow energy. The deer backed up but held their ground after a look from their leader, they were about to attack when a voice I had yearned to hear for millennia intervened.
"Just what do you think your doing." We all turned towards a demon-esque being who had three eyes, the two "normal" eyes being colored orange on the right and grey on the left, while a third immobile eye rested on her forehead. When she saw my face she gasped as recognition shined in her eyes "J-Jaylen?" The lead deer, confused turned towards her.
"Mistress Yubel we found this trespasser and it was about to attack us, normally we would retaliate but it seems you recognize it." The buck said, seemingly to follow an order from higher up, as he ordered his troops to lower their weapons which they did I'll be it begrudgingly before pulling back a little.
I dismissed Inferno Wing, who groaned in disappointment from being denied a fight again, and walked towards Yubel "It's been a long time hasn't it Yubel?" I said to her, before she wrapped me up in a bone-crushing hug, which by the way I think I just broke a bone.
She whispered in my ear "I-I thought you were gone." She was lightly crying, but she loosened her grip on me enough to let me breath and not have anymore broken bones.
"Well I'm back now." I said quietly as she was still strangling me slightly, when she realized that I was still in pain she put me down while I hugged my sides in pain, note to self never make a girl with dragon strength worry.
"Sorry." She squeaked out before looking at the ground, blushing in embarrassment "I didn't mean to hurt you."
I smiled a little, even with her transformation she is still the kind girl who was always my best friend "It's not your fault, you just stronger than you looked." I wheezed out in between breath, I closed my eyes and used my magic to locate the broken bones and mend them, it would still feel sore but nothing I could do about that. I opened my eyes as I caught my breath "Yubel?" She looked up towards me "I was wondering, is this where you've been the past 10,000 years?" I asked her legitimately curious, it wouldn't surprise me if she had, she was very, VERY, territorial the only thing I actually was confused she got from the dragon heart put in her, they're only territorial over their treasure.
"I did stay for about 7000 years, but when the two spawns of those alicorns appeared I left for a long while." She looked up towards me, I nodded for her to continue "I went to the dragon lands for refugee for a couple thousand years before I returned here again. That was when I first met the deer, they had taken over rule of the Everfree a little time after Celestia and Luna fought 1000 years ago, when I first appeared they recognized me from one of the tablets that you made before the alicorns stopped your reign." She growled once she finished, the subject of those two was a touchy one, those two took everything from Yubel and me.
Like I said she was very territorial, even being away for a little bit hurt her, I chuckled slightly before checking the sun "I have to go Yubel." I told her which she looked at me confused.
"Why?" She asked that one word, confused and saddened.
I grimaced but answered "Last night Luna returned, being possessed by a Nightmare, and got blasted by the Elements of Harmony." She cringed when she heard Harmony, we both didn't have great history with Harmony cause of its creator "They split the Nightmare and Princess Luna, turning the Nightmare into a filly, but for some reason the filly has a bit of the Gentle Darkness." She looked at me surprised.
"Why would a piece of light do something like that, it would have destroyed the darkness, and since a Nightmare is a creature of darkness it would have eradicated it immediately." She said suspiciously "That thing causes destruction! Why would it give life?" She seemed to have forgotten who she was talking to because she was glaring at me.
I sighed at the way she was acting, though honestly I couldn't blame her, the light, or any of its creations were bad news to see one doing an act of good was surprising. I looked her directly in the eye and said "I do not know why the Light of Destruction's spawn would do anything like that. From what I'm seeing we may have misjudged Harmony, maybe we shouldn't judge Harmony by its creators misdeeds." She seemed to calm down a bit, I didn't mention that she glared at me cause she would've thought she was committing treason, when I really didn't mind it at all.
She closed her eyes and breathed in and out, she reopened her eyes and looked at me "I am going to tell Aspen, the king of deer, that I will be leaving and than follow after you." She said before flying away, I shook my head 'Never change Yubel, never.' I thought before walking of towards my current home.
Once I got near the castle I shadow walked Underground, next to Nightmare's room. When I entered the room I looked and saw I just got back in time as she started to wake up, when she opened her teal slitted eyes she looked around wondering where she was until her eyes landed on me "W-Who are you?" She said quietly and pointed a hoof towards me, she......... WAS THE CUTEST THING I HAD EVER SEEN!
I tried to keep my composure when I replied "My name Jaylen, the Supreme Queen." She looked at me funny.
"Who would name themselves that?" She asked with her nose scrunched up with a look of contemplation, I tried my very best not to squee, she was just too adorable.
"That's not all of my name, and the 'Supreme Queen' part is just my title." I told her as she pondered what I had just said.
"What's a title?" She asked, from what I was seeming see was extremely curios.
I groaned a little "A title is like a second name that can grant you privileges, it has to be earned though." I said the last part to ensure that she didn't start running around calling herself by my title, I know it sounds a little cheesy but I held that title dear to my heart. I sighed knowing I'm going to have to start asking some questions "Can you tell me your name?" I asked her as polite as I could.
She seemed to stop for a second before answering me with a simple "I don't know." Her mane held itself to her chin, like I would put my hand under my chin, or a pony doing the same with their hoof.
"Do you have any memories?" I asked her kind of desperately, it would be extremely dangerous to leave alone if she didn't.
She looked at me confused before asking "What's a memory?" That one simple question, that I hoped, no PRAYED she wouldn't.
I swallowed the strangled cry that was about to come out of my throat and replied "A memory is something that you know happened and can think of it."
"So like now?" She said, as I nodded "Well I'm assuming that you don't mean any memory with the time I've been here." Nightmare then suddenly clutch her head in pain startling me as she start whimpering "No." Until her whimpering turned into full blown screaming. I rushed over and tried to sooth her as she cried into my shoulder seeming to experience, well a Nightmare.
The mane six were sitting inside Twilight's library, they had been called by Twilight who notified them that the princess was ready and would be teleporting to her library soon. After Celestia declared that they were going to hunt down the creature she told they she would go back to Canterlot with Luna to integrate Luna and scan for the creature. They were all talking when a bright flash occurred that signaled the appearance of Princess Celestia "Princess!" Twilight said jumping up to nuzzle her teachers neck who happily accepted the nuzzle.
When the teacher and student broke Celestia coughed getting everyponies attention "I've located the area around where the creature is, I've been scanning for the past 8 hours and just recently felt a spike of her brand of magic." She told the six ponies, Twilight's eyes sparkled from being told that this was a creature with magic that hadn't been seen before except by Celestia and Luna. Celestia made sure the other ponies where understanding, when she saw that they understood she told them where she was "All of the magical disturbances were caused inside of the Everfree Forest."
The other six ponies features blanched at that, they were just in there last night, they didn't want to go back in there again for a long while. Celestia worried tried to reassure them "I know you don't want to go back into that forest, but it will be easier this time with me there. No creature in the Everfree can harm an alicorn." She stated with confidence and pride filled words making the other ponies believe her.
"Well then what are we waiting for!" Pinkie Pie said as she jumped up, the others nodded and decided to follow their princess.
Princess Celestia pulled a box out from behind her "Here, your Elements of Harmony." She said as she opened it and gave each of the their elements, the rest picked themselves up as Celestia left towards the Everfree.
As the ponies entered the Everfree they felt that it was different somehow, more unwelcoming than ever. Celestia's brow furrowed 'It must have the ability to control the forest.' Celestia thought to herself before rolling her eyes 'There no way she could do that, Aspen on the other hand might.' Twilight walked over to Celestia before asking "Do you know anywhere that the creature would be?"
"From what I remember being told the best place to search would be around my old castle." Celestia said responding to her question, while Twilight was unsettled that they were going back to the castle so early she nodded.
While they were walking through the Everfree a very near-lethal encounter occurred when a pack of timberwolves got the drop on them disorienting Celestia and Twilight. As the timberwolves closed in on the ponies, they heard flapping of wings when a creature that looked like a demon. It somehow caused a thorn to pierce out of the ground and through one of the timberwolves. The thorn seemed to throw the wolf off of it afterwards the creature spoke in a voice that sounded like a mix of a child and a demon "Leave now and I will spare the rest of you."
The timberwolves growled at the demon before leaving, all was silent for a few moments before the demon started to leave "W-What are you?" Asked Twilight, the demon chuckled before glaring at the ponies, more specifically Princess Celestia.
"I am Yubel, Terror Incarnate." The now named Yubel said before flapping its wings and flew off.
Celestia shook with fear of that name, her parents had told her all about Yubel being that creatures strongest supporter. Celestia picked herself up, before wincing and using one of her forelegs to hold her head in her hooves. Celestia shook it off before speaking to the semi-traumatized ponies "We should continue and we'll be able to reach the castle and stay there for the night." The ponies reluctantly got up and nodded before following the princess.
Nightmare stayed there crying in my arms, she fell asleep shortly afterwords, I laid her down and went out of the room. From the garbled words I could make out she remembered the night her old self took control of Luna, but the elements gave her not just the body of a filly, but the mind of one, which made it so that the memory was traumatizing her. I growled to myself once I got into my room, Harmony didn't give her full mercy, she would have to live with those memories for the rest of her life.
I tried to calm myself down, but the inferno of rage I felt at Harmony wouldn't be quelled that easily, a child shouldn't have to experience that ever in any life. I turned my anger towards what was the source and shadow walked out of the underground into the castle above, I conjured my armor and walked down towards the Tree of Harmony, and I almost got to it before I found a band of ponies led by her.
As the small band of ponies got closer to the castle they felt the shadows itching at their fur, causing chills to ricochet up their spines. Celestia used her magic to scan the area, before a terrible pain suddenly gripped her and she screamed out in pain, holding her hooves to her head as the other ponies rushed towards her. They heard the clanking of armor getting close to them, they turned their heads to source and saw the creature in its armor "You better leave now." It hissed out "I'm in a foul mood, I'd rather not have to deal with your insolence."
Celestia pushed out the pain and stood on wobbly hooves "You should never have been released." She said weakly, the creature smiled to itself, clearly enjoying the fact that Celestia could barely stand.
"You can't do anything to me." It said in a clearly confident voice "Even those you serve unknowingly had a very hard time containing me, and your precious elements are useless against me, they are just mere tools that don't obey." Celestia snarled at that answer.
"We will see about that." Celestia said before yelling towards the elements "TWILIGHT, use the elements with your friends." Twilight nodded as the element all charged together as their eyes went white, the creature just stood there motionlessly. When the rainbow came out of the elements it went directly for the being that just raised its hand, and a shield of shadows erupted out of the ground, that was all Celestia saw before the light became to bright to look at.
When the light cleared and Celestia lowered her hooves she looked and saw that nothing had happened to the creature "No." She said in disbelief taking a step backwards "You should have been DESTROYED!" Celestia roared towards it, her eyes become pure white, and her mane and tail become flames that licked the ground below her. As the elements bearers all started to gain their bearings they immediately saw that their princess had changed and backed up in horror, then they saw that the creature was still standing and nothing had changed about it.
The creature chuckled "The Light of Destruction has corrupted you so much that you fail to see the damage you have done, to Luna, and to many, many others. It has corrupted you so much you even forgot one of the most predetermined values of the universe, with Light there must always be Darkness, with good there must always be evil." It said, the other six ponies where confused while Celestia just snarled and looked ready to kill.
"W-What? H-How can L-Light be destructive?" Twilight asked, confused on what the creature was talking about.
It chuckled, an empty hollow laugh "Ah the naive." It said "The Light of Destruction is the enemy of the Gentle Darkness, what I am the incarnation of, while Celestia here has allowed a very large of the Light into her. And on your question of how Light can be destructive, it believe that it is allowed to destroy everything because it tries to own everything, that includes you and your race that sold itself to the Light long ago." As if confirm her words Celestia hissed in sadistic glee as a light appeared around her, but not comforting, no it was cold, colder than a winter storm.
"You will not stop ussss." "Celestia's" voice hissed out "Jussst like we can not dessstroy you, you can not dessstroy usss." The ponies back up the rest of the way as the icy touch of the Light inched closer towards them "But sssoon you will sssee the LIGHT!" "Celestia" with a final hiss as she charged towards the the creature, intent on doing something to it, a wall of thorns blocked the way before she could reach it.
"Tut, tut, tut." A child like voice chided "You shouldn't hurt those who are close to me, you should know better." The voice exited the darkness which revealed Yubel, but she looked slightly more annoyed and was frowning "Or has the Light gotten to you that easily?" "Celestia" hissed at her before trying to charge "I'll take that as option number 2, for your sake you better hope that's true." Yubel said before throwing "Celestia" at a tree knocking her out.
I smiled under my faceplate when Yubel came out of the shadows, we had talked a little bit before I had encountered the ponies, mentally though. Rainbow Dash, even though seeing their ruler acting that way charged towards Yubel and yelled "NO ONE HURTS THE PRINCESS!" Yubel startled by the sound turned around, but she didn't have to time to stop the Skyborn, but I was able too.
I rushed in front of Yubel and just as Rainbow Dash was about to hit me I grabbed her by her neck, this enraged the other five as the two Magis started throwing spells my way. The orange Terra rushed towards me, I threw Rainbow at her knocking her of balance then raised a shield of shadows to block the spells being thrown at me. Yubel was enraged by their actions and shouted out "NO ONE HURTS MY QUEEN!" Before rushing forward and slamming the Skyborn who had just got up and was about to charge at me into the ground, before proceeding to nullify both of the Magis' magic.
The orange Terra didn't relent though and tried to buck me, I roundhouse kicked her into a tree, lodging her inside of it. Twilight rushed towards Yubel, hoping to stop her from nullifying the Magis' own magic reserves so that she would be able to help her friend, lets just say she didn't succeed. Yubel used her powers to summon a vine and then proceeded to throw Twilight into a tree, not enough to hurt her but enough to daze her. The last one left was Pinkie Pie and she was near impossible to grab at, that was before I used my own powers to cut off her reality bending powers and knocked her out.
It was a very, very, short battle for one reason, those six were all but useless without the elements working. I looked over to where Celestia was supposed to be, she was gone, I growled "Looks like the Celestia woke up mid battle and left." I said towards Yubel who just sighed in exasperation.
"What should we do with these six?" She asked waving her non-draconic arm towards the unconscious ponies.
"Put them somewhere where they can't get out of and watch over them until I return." I told her, she nodded before using her shadow magic to collect their unconscious bodies before shadow walking away. I looked around to be sure no-one else would stop me, before I continued my trek towards the Tree of Harmony.
The tree wasn't that far away, it was just under the castle so I only had to walk for about five minutes before I was in front of the Tree of Harmony, Harmony's source of power. I put my hand to the base of the tree, my would went white when I did, when my vision cleared up Harmony stood before me on a life-filled planes field "Hello Supreme Queen." She said passively as if she was expecting me, though she most likely was from the way that she always acted.
"Harmony." I said angrily, she had just made somebody suffer excessively for mistakes that she couldn't prevent "You had no right to do that to her!" I yelled out at her.
Harmony winced "I'm sorry but it was the only way for me to get my point across, unless I wanted to be like it. She needed to be punished." She stated while I growled, I thrust my hand out and grabbed her by the "neck".
"You listen here." I growled out "She has done NOTHING to deserve this! You are going way to far!" I knew what Harmony meant, Nightmare Moon needed to be punished but not that way, giving her a entirely fresh start would have been just as acceptable. I threw her outwards, she bled a few drops of white ichor from her neck, the blood of the Light of Destruction, guess I gripped her neck a bit to hard.
She coughed up a bit more of the white blood, she looked up at me I could see the look of regret in her eyes, regret at angering me most likely. She picked herself up before saying "I could have gone across that situation better, but there is nothing I can do now." I growled 'I've been doing that a lot while I was here' I realized but shrugged it off, I knew nothing more could be done, and we couldn't change the past.
"I'm going to put a seal on her memories." I told Harmony as calmly as I could "That way she won't have to suffer for your insolence." Harmony looked down in shame, before I used my power to cut the connection I made to her.
Once I was out of Harmony's realm I shadow walked to where Nightmare was, she was sleeping peacefully, it almost pained me to do this but Harmony had given me no choice. I placed my hand just under her horn on her head and focused my magic, memories were just shadows inside a person, waiting to reappear at a moments noticed. I guided those shadows of memories, all of them, and locked them away under a seal of my power only breakable by someone with equal or more power. Which considering I am literally Darkness Incarnate so not many beings would match my power let alone be stronger.
I got up from the bedside and walked out of the room, I shadow walked over to where I could sense Yubel was. She was inside of what seemed to be a dungeon, it had a bunch of holes in the ground for those who lived in solitary and many cells, Yubel was placing the ponies in one each. Yubel had just set down the last while placing a nullifying charm over the area when she noticed me "Jaylen, wasn't expecting you return so early." She said surprised that I got back so quickly.
I rolled my eyes, Yubel finished what she was doing before walking over to me and hugging me, I was surprised at first before I melted into the hug and hugged her back. She sighed in contentment, but like all good things it came to an end as we parted I cleared my throat "So, do you have any idea of what we're going to do with them?" I asked her, she rolled her eyes at me.
"You didn't plan ahead? Well I personally think that you should give them some Darkness, just to show them that their ruler isn't in control and that they have been slave for their entire life." She stated, it was a good idea, but consequences would be was that they would be able to sense Nightmare's Darkness, she and I had the most concentrated amount of the Gentle Darkness in us. Me having more because I am the Gentle Darkness, Nightmare just had a lot of me in her strangely, I think Harmony meant something by that to which I internally frowned.
"I think that might be a good idea." I told Yubel, I had decided I would listen to her idea, most of the times Yubel's choices led to good outcomes. I walked through the bars, the entire room was dark so I wasn't fully tangible, into the closest cell, the cell Twilight was put inside. I knelled over her unconscious body and placed my hand over where her heart would be, I used my powers to inject a bit of my Darkness into her, she moved a little and groaned but remain unconscious. I went over to the other cells and repeated the action on all of the ponies, until they all had the drop of Darkness in them, that would help us explain to them what is going on.
'I hope they don't jump the gun when I tell them about Nightmare though.' I thought before realizing what I was thinking, did I have feelings for Nightmare, did I really care that much about her?
"What is it my queen?" She asked as I called for her.
"I want you to move Nightmare for under the castle in the rooms I've made there to a different room. Transmogrify any useless items into essentials for her room. Also stay with her until I am finished with the ponies." I told her, my voice was darker than normal. I wasn't going to take any chances with these ponies after they attacked Yubel, and when they here about Nightmare their reactions will be worse.
Yubel nodded her head before walking off. I sighed to myself when the six ponies started to wake 'Here we go.' I thought as the first off them, Rainbow Dash, roused from her sleep.
"Huh?" She said puzzled as her features changed to surprise than to anger "What's the big idea!" Once that outburst had finished the others started to wake up from their forced slumber.
I smirked to myself before replying to the comment she made "The big idea is that your trapped." I stepped out of the shadows, and started to approach the cells "There is also another thing, you're in my territory now and are prisoners of war." I said to her just as I was right next to the cell she was in.
"Wait, WHAT!?!?" Twilight cried out from the cell she was in.
I shadow walked over to where she was, just for dramatic effect "As I just said you are a prisoner of war, the war against the Gentle Darkness, me, and the Light of Destruction." I said before stepping backwards "Don't even try to get out of those cells, they are enchanted so that only spirits and myself can open it."
"Why are you doing this to us?" Twilight said, she sound confused probably think 'What did I do to call for me being a prisoner?'
My smirk turned cold, possibly cruel "You tried to assault a queen, also your nation declared war upon my empire over 10,000 years ago. Your nation tried and succeeded, for a period of time, to banish me from my home and scatter my forces. Forces that I was building up to protect the world from what you ponies sold yourselves to." I said to her "Also you six ponies have aided in harming someone innocent of all crimes convicted upon here, when all she was doing is getting food."
"What do you mean we sold ourselves? And who did we harm that was just getting food, I haven't harmed somepony in my entire life." Twilight said, the others growing impatient but were most likely seeing her as their only chance to get out. They were right about her being able to get them out eventually, but that was if they were good little ponies and aided me.
"You sold yourselves to the Light of Destruction, you serve its strongest champion. And have been for millennia, even before that you served her parents." I told her, her eyes filled with realization as she started to open her mouth before I interrupted "As to who you have harmed, you hurt her just yesterday and you've just forgotten." At the end I started to growl "After all she was the "Queen of the Night" and was going to "Plunge Equestria into eternal night"!" I said the last part in a yell, I was getting mad and was expelling it onto them.
"Ya mean Nightmare Moon!?! Are you crazy! She did start to plunge Equestria into eternal night, and would've if not for us!" Applejack and Rainbow Dash shouted.
I scoffed "Nightmare Moon was, as the start of her name suggests, a Nightmare. Which is a creature that feeds off negative emotions, sure they amplify it bit but the rest was all Luna's fault! Nightmare never put those thought into her head, they just appeared by themselves. And with the amount of negative energy in her Nightmare got stuck to Luna, which trapped her inside of Luna. All of the eternal night fiasco could have been avoided if Luna had someone to confide her feelings too, but the eternal night was all of Luna pent up rage and jealousy being revealed. Which eventually turned to evil." I said "And as such Nightmare has little to no reason to be blamed for Luna's tantrum, but the Light of Destruction did play a part. It tried to control Luna multiple times, and she came to me commonly to get rid of bits of it unconsciously. The outburst was caused because Nightmare most likely tried to protect what it was latched onto from the Light of Destruction, causing all the negative energy from both parties fighting to enter Luna causing the "Nightmare Moon" incident."
"So what your saying," Twilight started "is that Nightmare Moon was bound to happen and you delayed it."
I nodded before speaking "You are partially correct, if Luna was able to keep seeing me I could have kept the "Nightmare Moon" incident from ever happening. But Celestia stopped me by raising a barrier so that I couldn't come near Luna or herself. That barrier though did work in my favor, it allowed me to raise a pupil, one that never even knew me but always attended my lessons. His name was Sombra and he was able to cause quite a bit of destruction, I was going to stop him if I got released. Which I almost got released from the amount of negative energy he created."
I sighed "But alas he was defeated, after two years into his reign the two sisters were able to stop him. Though he banished the kingdom he had made, as to not let Celestia get a hold of it. But enough of that what we should discuss is..." That was all I was able to get out before Yubel walked into the room.
"My Queen." She said before bowing, looking towards the ponies cautiously "The Nightmare has woken up."
I nodded "Excuse me," I said towards the ponies "But I have business to attend too." I started to leave before saying "We will continue this later, for now Yubel watch them." She nodded as I shadow walked towards Nightmare's destination.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (3rd Person pov, Celestia mind)
On the floor of a mindscape a filly with a pure white coat and pink hair was laid down crying 'Why?' She thought 'Why does this always happen to me!' Her tears started poring out faster as a white substance started to descend from the walls "G-Go away!" She cried out desperately backing up before the substance split and lashed out at the poor filly.
"Oh, but we still have to talk." The creature said before taking on the filly's grown up form "After all Celestia," the difference between what Celestia would look like and what this creature was "you still have business with me." It had fangs, it's eyes were slitted and it's hair was pure flames.
"I don't owe you anything!" Celestia cried out "You've controlled my entire life, and you tried to do the same to Luna!" After she had finished that sentence the being rushed up towards her and gripped her hooves around Celestia neck, slowly starting to choke her.
"Oh my my my." The creature purred "But you do owe me something," it said before throwing Celestia outwards "your entire existence! Your parents sold you life to me before you were even born." Celestia coughed trying to get some air into her lungs before the monster that always hurt her did anything else.
Celestia looked up and stared defiantly into the beings eyes "You will be defeated Daybreaker." She stated just before Daybreaker rushed over to where Celestia lay before kicking her in the stomach sending Celestia flying.
"LIES!" Daybreaker roared out "YOU KNOW THAT IS NOT TRUE, SOON THE DARKNESS WILL BE DELETED FROM THIS WORLD!" After that her composure started to return "However, my slaves still trust your disguise. Soon though I will burn away your shell and give rise to myself." She gloated "My master and I will soon be able to destroy everything you love." She turned towards Celestia "Starting with your precious sister." She said in a cruel voice before she started laughing manically.
Celestia growl "YOU WON'T HURT HER!" She shouted before trying to rush forward and hurt Daybreaker who, as soon as Celestia got close, shot a close range fireball.
"Wow, you really are pathetic." Daybreaker said as Celestia screamed in agony as the flames consumed her, biting at her fur and sensitive flesh. Daybreaker rolled her eyes, getting bored with this charade, as she dispelled the fires. As soon as she had done so Celestia collapsed into a broken heap of charred pony.
Daybreaker sneered "Don't you die on me yet." She said as she cast a minor healing spell, not enough to give her power but enough to help her survive. She walked closer "Besides, your powers of divination are still required. At least until master has defeated the Darkness and ensured that the Light will rule!" She said before starting to exit the mindscape 'Soon,' Daybreaker thought to herself 'soon all of her precious little ponies will bow to me, while the glorious Light of Destruction rules the world!'
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (Transition to out of Celestia/Daybreaker's mind into her personal chambers)
"Celestia" opened her eyes from concentrating on projecting her true form into the mindscape 'That pony is tiresome.' She thought to herself as she stretched her muscles, she looked out the window and smiled viciously. Luna was raising the moon from her tower, she thought that she was safe with her sister. Oh how wrong she is, her sister was lost long ago.
Daybreaker and the Light of Destruction were always confused on how Luna was barely, if any, affected by the Light that was planted inside of her at birth. It changed her form to look more like one of the lights creations but there was still the look of Darkness, the real Celestia saw her sister true form twice. Once quite recently and once a thousand years ago. Daybreaker giggled to herself maliciously, thinking of the one inside of the mindscape and her reaction to hearing how her sister died.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself." A male voice from the corner said as Daybreaker turned to face the equine in question.
"My liege." Daybreaker said bowing towards the pony in front of her.
"Now now, there's no need for formality Daybreaker, after all everypony is equal in the Light." The pony said before moving out of the shadows.
"Yes Blueblood." Daybreaker said rising from her position.
"Now then," Blueblood started, his white robes shining even in the moonlight "I believe it is time to start our plan." "Celestia's" face adopted a cruel smirk before she bowed.
"It will be done my liege." Daybreaker said before walking out of the room, she had to meet with some very special guests.
Daybreaker descended down into the depths of the castle, her task solution clearly portrayed in her minds eye, before reaching a door with no handle on it. She breathed in before exhaling, and out of exhale a white vapor traveled out of her mouth and seeped into the door. The door started to split and deform as the wood bunched itself together and slide into the sides of the stairwell. She smiled cruelly before entering the room.
The room was filled with hallways, each one leading to nowhere and anywhere. Daybreaker walked into the exact middle of the room as torches filled with a white light were lit. Down each of the hallways the light cascaded the end becoming harder to see, before it brightened. Creatures started running through the hallways a harsh white light emanating off of them as the torches grew ever brighter. As all of the creature were about to enter the room they stopped, and the torch light dimmed down to were it was no longer blinding for a mortal.
"My friends!" Daybreaker cried out jovially "How I have missed your wonderful faces." She finished with a sickly sweet smile plastered on her face, the smile was fooling none of the ones in the room.
"What is it you require Lady Daybreaker." The shortest one said in a monotone voice that held bitterness behind it. He was wearing armor but had no helmet on, which left his pure white hair on display. He held a sword the depicted humans riding on horseback with a glowing sun behind them towards a great shadowy presence.
Daybreaker turned her head towards him, her fake smile dissolving from her face as a snarl found it's way out her throat. Her hair started to flicker into flames "Now now Jain, is that how you ssspeak to a lady, not only that but your ssssuperior." Her voice was filled with disdain, but the hissing stopped "You're still on probation after that incident with dear little Sombra, you are on very thin ice as it is and if you're attitude continues you may not see the light of day again."
Jain grit his teeth before replying with as much respect he could muster for something loathed "Of course Lady Daybreaker, it won't happen again."
Daybreak smiled cruelly at him "Excellent!" She said before turning "Now then the master has a job for all of you." She gestured her hoof towards them all "The Darkness has returned and it is your job to, shall we say," Her wicked smile turned crazed "deal with it!"
Luna walked into her room with an old pain blossoming from her skull once more, she groaned in pain shutting the door behind her before suddenly collapsing in agony as a cacophony of noise rung in ears. "JOIN USSSSSSS, JOIN YOUR SSSSISSSTER AND AID IN OUR CRUSADE!" the voices hissed and spat as Luna started to scream the pain becoming almost unbearable. In the midst of the pain Luna had a thought 'why aren't the guards coming in', her screams starting to die out as her will waned, a light whimpering leaving her lips. "JOIN US, A-" Suddenly as quick as the pain came it seemed to freeze the voice while still there being shoved to the corner of Luna's mind, then a new voice in a whisper started to speak.
"Are you just going to submit?" The eerily familiar voice asked her, as if it was worried she was "Or are you going to rise up and fight against the oppressive light that shrouds this world." Luna's eyes widened as she recognized the voice, it had a slight whispered distortion but she would know what it was anywhere, after all it was her own.
"Noooo....." Luna whimpered out almost pathetically. The voice chuckled lightly, a wispy form appeared in front of Luna, an armored figure with an ethereal mane of stars and yellow irises and stood on two legs. Memories that Luna could not fully seemed to recall entered her mind, as if she almost felt like she was supposed to, minus the eyes, look like that.
"Then let us make a pact." The voice said, it location now coming from the entity now in front of her "I am thou, thou art I. This light that blinds the world is unbearable, we shall cut the blinding light off at it's source and flood the sky with beautiful stars and a veil of Night." The figure came closer to Luna before helping Luna up on to her feet, the hissing voice dissipating from her head. She looked into the armored mares yellow eyes, and saw herself "I am the darkness that hides itself within you, a shadow of your very being." Luna's Shadow stated, before it's form fluctuating before being absorbed into herself 'Find the Queen of Darkness, find the one in which the light fears above all others.'
The shadow that had absorbed itself into her coalesced on Luna's fur as armor,Her appearance seemed to warp for a second, on that was how she looked but with pale skin and more like a human before she reverted to normal. The difference between what she wore the day and this was that some of the uncovered places, her stomach, and forelegs was covered in a thin sheet of almost cloth-like armor. While the armor held great resemblance to the armor that she wore in the worst moments of her life she felt no hatred or regret of it, only awe at it's appearance and acceptance of the part of her she didn't want to encounter.
Suddenly the door burst open, and four her sisters guard marched into the room. Behind them were the corpses of the guards who had accompanied her. The singular Magis of the group approached her "Her Highness and our lord has summoned you." He stated a harsh light starting to be expelled from his body, an almost dead gaze on Luna "You will follow usssss or you will be executed."
Once more time seemed to freeze as her shadow whispered to her 'The lies of the light have infected them, they are already dead have no remorse for them' Luna hesitated for a second as time unfroze before she conjured a spear and impaled the unicorn, he tried to dodge before being impaled through the lungs instead of the head. The two Skyborn and singular Terra did not hesitate and launched themselves towards Luna.
Luna felt a primal energy well up within her as she jumped backwards a word seemingly appearing on her tongue "Gelida" she shouted as her shadow echoed the same word in her mind. A burst of energy launched towards her three enemies that when it reached them froze them solid, Luna grabbed the conjured spear from the dead unicorns body before launching it towards the other three who were lined up frozen. The spear shattered the bodies before dissipating out of existence.
Luna took a moment to pause for her breath before turning around towards her balcony doors, crashing through them she jumped over the railing and taking flight with her destination in mind. As she glided she noticed her sister through a window running towards her room, only it wasn't her sister. The being had a mane made of fire and a pure white coat of fur, seeing this Luna shadow spoke quickly 'Do not try and fight that! It will only end in our demise!' Pausing for the briefest moment she nodded before increasing her speed towards the Everfree Forest.
Jaylen quietly fumed as she walked towards Nightmare Moon's current place of residence. "Those insufferable ponies can't seem to understand what the danger is." Her anger slowly grew as she thought of how they acted, and they're immediate disregard. How she wished that they would behave like they used too before the Light got to them. The revolting changes it made to an entire race so that it could have it's order.
As she walked her thoughts drifted to the human race, the one of which the ponies originated from. The race from which she took her form, they were a chaotic species what with them spawning multiple races. But a small group of them had worshipped the Light of Destruction, and turned other humans toward their cause.
Her thoughts ended abruptly as she had reached Nightmare's room "I should really call her something else." She muttered before collecting herself and opening the door. Nightmare was on the bed, her nose buried in a book. She raised her head towards the door after hearing it open, as she saw Jaylen a beaming smile spread across her face "Jaylen!" She exclaimed as she launched herself of the bed and into Jaylen.
They fell back onto the floor as Jaylen lost her balance, the strong Nightmare tightly gripping at Jaylen's abdomen. Jaylen laughed lightly before attempting to try and pry Nightmare off her. After she failed for the second time she asked Nightmare to get off of her.
Nightmare flushed in embarrassment before backing off of Jaylen "Sorry" she said quietly trying to hide behind her mane. Jaylen giggled at Nightmare making her blush even more. Jaylen picked herself up and dusted herself off.
"It's okay, it doesn't bother me much." Jaylen said "Though from that I guess someone was excited to see me again." Jaylen smiled mischievously at Nightmare who tried to bury herself in her mane. Jaylen moved over onto the bed as Nightmare climbed back up onto it.
"So....." Jaylen started "did you like Yubel?" Nightmare looked up inquisitivly.
"Was Yubel that thing that was in here?" Nighrmare asked, Jaylen sighed.
"Yubel is a she, and she is half-spirit half-dragon." Jaylen told Nightmare, who once again tried to hide herself in her mane from embarrassment.
"She was nice." Nightmare mumbled to herself "She left kind of fast though." Jaylen smiled to herself
"That's Yubel, I asked her to inform me once you woke up. I asked her to watch over some people." Jaylen's eyes wander to the book Nightmare was reading, on the front of the book was two ponies with they're horns locked together. Her piqued "Nightmare what was that book you were reading?"
Nightmare turned her head towards the book before answering "It says it's called The Journal of Two Sisters. It seems to be written by two people, one called Tia and the other Luna." Nightmare shrugged her shoulders "There was nothing to do so I thought I'd read." Jaylen made a humming sound as she grabbed it before starting to flip through the pages.
As she skimmed through the pages she realized which two sisters wrote this, and that the entries from Tia had ended almost twenty pages in after a description of hearing voices and pain in her head. A chill crept down Jaylen spine as she read through some of final pages of the book.
"Tia has stopped talking to me and this pain in my head won't stop. I can't help but be mad at her, why does she have to abandon me as well. Why can't they stay awake during the night I have worked so hard for. I hear whispers telling me to aid in their plans but I don't know where they're coming from. Or even what they want me to said in. I'll try my best to talk to Tia but I won't take this much longer."
The next entries are filled with utter hatred for Celestia and every pony. With the final page declaring they will force them to see the beauty of Night. Jaylen thought the word Night being with a capital N wasn't a typo. All of the entries looked at had proper capitalization and the few entries in anger had that, 'Is there another divine power?' Jaylen wondered 'That would change everything.'
"What's wrong?" Nightmare asked noticing Jaylen's expression. JayKen smoved out her expression not wanting to worry the child next to her.
"It's nothing." Jaylen said her voice dropping "Just something caught my attention." She got up before setting the book on a shelf. She turned towards Nightmare "Now then!" She announced "Is there anything you wanted to ask me?"
"Well," Nightmare started "from our previous conversation, I wanted to know if you know my name." Jaylen's expression turned to one of shock as she started spluttering out how she doesn't know.
Nightmare gained a saddened expression Jaylen made a hasty decision, not wanting to make the child sad "Maybe," Jaylen tentatively started "I could give you one." After she said those words Nightmare gained a perplexed expression before nodding.
Jaylen thought it over for a second "How about Yoru. It comes from an old language of this world, the word means night like your coat color." The newly named Yoru thought about it for a second before nodding her head in acceptance.
"I'd be okay with being called that." Yoru said as she begun to smile at Jaylen "No, I'd be happy with that being my name."
"What in Tartarus are you!" Rarity yelled out in horror at the creature she saw before her. It turned itself towards the ponies in the cells before fixing Rarity with a harsh glare.
"I am Yubel, didn't I say that after the Timberwolf attack and when you assaulted my queen." Yubel stated in an annoyed drawl "I thought revealing my title to you would have you being dissuaded from continuing onwards. But it appears your all more stubborn than I thought."
"She attacked the princess!" Rainbow Dash spat out slamming her body into the bars between her and Yubel. Yubel had a disdainful on her face looking at Rainbow.
"If you didn't notice your both revealed her true form and intentions before assaulting my queen. The same queen who then responded with appropriately and defended herself." Yubel told Rainbow Dash "And yet you still blindly follow her, even after she admitted to trying to assassinate my queen."
Rainbow Dash was about to yell at Yubel once more when Applejack interrupted "Rainbow Dash open your damn eyes, the princess just tried to murder somepony! An action that hasn't been done by a pony for almost 400 years!" Yubel appraised her with a grateful look.
"The princess surely had a reason!" Twilight stated her eyes wide in denial "I've known her half my life, she would do that unless your queen was a threat to Equestria!"
Yubel scoffed "Of course my queen is a threat to Equestria, if she had it her way this land would still be classified as the Badlands with how that used to be, a lush country full of life. But mostly she is a threat to Celestia as she is a servant of the Light of Destruction."
"And there you go with that minotaur shit again!" Rainbow Dash yelled
"Rainbow Dash!" The other 5 elements declared in aghast horror at ger language.
"This Light of Destruction and Gentle Darkness, we aren't even told what the difference is, for all we know it could the other way around and The Light is Gentle while the Darkness is Destructive!" She declare her sneer etched onto her face.
Yubel's face darkened "Well then," she started "I will show you proof of the Lights evil."
