The rays of the dawning sun gently washed across the room through the open window, carefully caressing Mathew’s sleeping form beneath the blankets. As the warmth of the sun built up beneath the velvety barrier that covered him, Mathew began to stir. With a slow inhale, he took a deep waking breath and stretched his limbs… only to bump into something warm and soft.
Groggily, Mathew lifted his head up and pulled the covers down below his face. He then turned his head to look at what it was that he was touching. A small pit formed in his stomach as he noticed the general shape of the lump beneath the covers beside him. Mathew moved his hand slowly and gently in a small circular motion, feeling the soft fur against his skin and eliciting a soft moan from the mare. Taking a moment to calm himself, Mathew sucked in a slow breath.
“Luna… what are you doing in my bed?” Mathew asked slowly.
Giggling softly, Luna slowly turned over beneath the blanket. “I was enjoying myself,” she replied gently before slowly slipping her head out from under the covers. The instant Luna’s head slid free of the loving embrace of the fabric she stopped, wide eyed.
Mathew eyed her for a moment before something clicked in his sleep-drenched mind. With equally wide eyes, Mathew pulled his arm free of the blanket and he stared at his hand. Absentmindedly, he wiggled his fingers as he struggled to get his mind to start back up. As reality sunk in and he came to the full realization that he was human once more, Mathew’s heart began to race. Being an Alicorn had brought forth a whole new set of problems, but for him to be human again gave birth to an even bigger dilemma.
“Mathew?”
“Mathew, calm down!”
In a soft flash of light, Mathew’s body popped back into the form of a black Alicorn and he stumbled backwards onto the floor. To his relief, his head didn’t throb where he had hit it against the dresser, but he was still slightly confused. “Uh… what the heck just happened?” he asked aloud.
Luna simply moved to the side of the bed and looked down at him curiously, clearly at a loss as to what to say. Fortunately, they both received an answer from a familiar and welcome voice.
“Forgive me, Mathew. I was too focused on what I was doing that I had not realized the hour,” Nightmare Moon said as her visage appeared in Mathew’s ethereal mane.
Mathew looked to her with a raised brow. “Riiight… when did you learn to do that? And what were you doing? How did I turn back into a human?” he asked.
Nightmare giggled at his expression and stuck out her tongue playfully. “My, aren’t you inquisitive this morning. To answer one of your questions, I’ve been learning what I can do with our new body. As for the rest… I was testing the effects of my magic. What you witnessed was a little sample of our collective power working toward a form of illusion magic,” she calmly explained.
Feeding off of Nightmare’s assuring emotions, Mathew calmed down as well, though he still sighed. “You could have warned me,” he mumbled.
Nightmare smiled and moved her ethereal form forth and nuzzled against his cheek. “I’m sorry, but you needed your rest. Besides, I managed to find out why we couldn’t bring out our magic. You should have no trouble with casting spells or manipulating our power now.”
“Oh? So what was the problem before?” Mathew inquired curiously.
Nightmare pulled her face away from Mathew’s and looked at him coyly. “We had not completed our bond. Young Twilight was not far off when she thought to look into our body for the problem. Though our forms had come together and our minds were joined once more… it took a little more time for our hearts to join this time.”
Mathew lifted his brow again, getting an idea as to where Nightmare’s humor was heading. Nightmare looked over to her daughter, a very mischievous twinkle in her eye as she moved closer to Luna. “And I have to admit… last night’s bonding was breathtaking. Luna, you’d best not be surprised if you have trouble handling him in the future. He has the heart and the stamina of a beast!” Nightmare said with a wink.
Luna’s mouth opened slightly as she stared at her mother and blushed. Mathew simply shook his head and facehooved, then his ears perked up as an idea came to mind. “Wait, so does that mean I can change back to looking like a human now?” he asked.
Nightmare, suppressing the urge to giggle at her daughter’s reaction, looked back to Mathew and nodded. “Yes, we are now capable of manipulating our appearance. Though we are not limited to it, we can become human once more.”
“What is the extent of the transformation?” Luna asked, her blush slowly fading. “Is it simply an illusion?”
Nightmare shook her head gently. “No, though it ultimately depends on how much magic we decide to use. The more magic put into the spell, the more substantial the changes become. Put enough into it, and the change can be a complete shift from Alicorn to Human all the way down to microscopic levels. Sadly, it is not a permanent change as it will drain magic constantly while active.”
“Hmmm…” Mathew hummed as he thought. “I suppose that using the transformation spell would be useful at some point. You’ll have to share more details about it with me later, Nightmare,” he said with a small smile.
Nightmare nodded and smiled in turn, then she turned her attention back to Luna. “I must return to the realm within. I will speak with you again soon, my daughter.”
Luna smiled warmly and nodded. “Until next time, Mother.”
Nightmare and Mathew shared one final glance before she vanished from his mane. With the dark goddess now absent, Mathew and Luna simply sat quietly for a few moments. Luna looked longingly at the place in Mathew’s mane where her mother had been while Mathew tried to think of something to say that might ease her mind. Instead, it was Mathew’s hunger that ended the silence with a loud grumble. Both ponies looked down to the source of the noise, one of them blushing and the other trying hard not to laugh.
“I think it’s time for breakfast,” Luna stated playfully.
Mathew chuckled with a sheepish smile. “I would have to agree. It has been over three years since my last meal.”
The two Alicorns stood from their spots and made their way out of the room. As they passed the guards, Mathew couldn’t help but notice the odd looks on the faces of the guards as he and Luna left. Seeing it as a prime opportunity, Luna made sure to slow down and look over her shoulder at them and wink before resuming her trek with Mathew to the dining hall.
Mathew’s arrival in the great hall was one that he would never forget. Almost in the exact moment that he walked through the doorway, Orange Zest leapt from out of nowhere and embraced him in a desperate hug. A few other members of the serving staff, and even the chef, Quick Whisk, all came over to welcome Mathew back warmly as well. Everypony was all smiles and happy tears, even Mathew, though he tried to not let his joy show too much. The scene spread to the rest of the kitchen as more and more ponies that had loved Mathew when he had stayed at the castle came out. In the end, Mathew would come to deny ever shedding a single tear, but he would never deny that he had been utterly grateful for their caring and kindness in that moment.
Though it took over half an hour for everypony to catch up, and to pry Orange Zest from Mathew, the rest of breakfast went by leisurely. The usual questions were asked; how have you been? What happened that got you stuck in that crystal? How do you like the omlette? What was it like waking up next to a princess? … That last one coming from the lunar lady herself to tease him. All in all it was an enjoyable meal and a pleasant way to pass the morning.
~~***~~
With breakfast out of the way, Mathew proceeded with Luna out into the gardens. The two walked the same path that they used to travel each morning, but as they did there was something that took away the smile from Mathew’s face. Everywhere he looked there was a sense of familiarity… yet everything had changed. Some of the flowers were the same, but most had either vanished from where they were in Mathew’s memory or they had been replaced with new blossoms of a different color. It was a reminder of what he had to expect in future years and it brought about unwanted thoughts about another mare he cared for.
Hey, Nightmare? Mathew asked of his partner.
“What is it, Mathew?”
I’m an immortal Alicorn… aren’t I?
Nightmare paused for a few moments as Mathew continued to walk through the garden. “Yes… you are still immortal. With our bond being more substantial than before, I’d say that even if we separate again you would retain that trait. You have an eternal life now…” she answered.
Mathew gave a small nod before he came to a stop and cast his gaze skyward. He took in a slow deep breath as he thought about how he should speak with Applejack later on. Luna, noticing that her companion had halted, turned a curious and concerned look toward Mathew. “Is everything alright, Mathew?” she asked softly.
Mathew held his pose and continued to look skyward for a time. He then lowered his gaze to Luna, revealing the sadness behind the slits of his eyes. He gently shook his head. “No, Luna… there are things that I need to face, but I’m still at a loss as to how to cope with them.”
“Is there anything I could do to help?” she asked gently, slowly stepping closer to Mathew.
Mathew sighed and closed the distance between them, an act that slightly surprised Luna – even more so when he buried his face into the side of her neck. “Luna… I don’t know how to say things the way I want to… but I’m not sure if I’ll have another time to tell you,” Mathew murmured quietly. He then took in a deep breath and prepared himself for what he was about to say next.
“Luna… I… I really can’t sugar coat this, so I’ll just put it out there. I love you,” Mathew admitted as he pulled his head back to look into Luna’s eyes. Luna froze in place, her heart starting to hammer in her chest as joy built up within her. Yet her happiness subsided when she saw the look of uncertainty in Mathew’s eyes. She sighed softly and closed her eyes, but a small smile graced her beautiful face.
“You also love Applejack… don’t you?” Luna asked tenderly as she opened her eyes.
Mathew swallowed and nodded. “Yes… I do. I love both of you… just in different ways. You make me feel like I can just sit back and be myself. I feel free from the world when I’m with you. Your smile brightens my day and the way your eyes shimmer in the light just captivates me… and I have to admit that your scent has become almost intoxicating – it’s really unfair you know,” Mathew sais as his gaze danced across Luna’s beauty. “But… even with how wonderful you are and how I’m utterly infatuated with you, I can’t stop my feelings for Applejack.”
“What is it about her that you find attractive, then?” Luna asked in a neutral fashion, her turquoise gaze locked onto Mathew’s golden brown as she silently waited for his answer.
Mathew swallowed nervously once more. He knew that Luna was testing him now, but despite his desire to back out he felt it was time he finally confided his feelings. He took a deep breath and steeled his resolve, meeting Luna’s gaze firmly with his own. “She makes me feel like I can tell her everything. I can open up to her in a way that I never thought possible. She can tell the difference between truth and lie… but there’s just something about the warm smile she wears and the kindness in her eyes when I’m telling her my hidden secrets. She never judged me like others back on Earth did, even after I told her that there were terrible things that came with having a human in her world. She’s such a loving pony and… and just like you, she fell in love with someone undeserving of such affection. You both are too wonderful, too beautiful, too spectacular… to give your hearts to someone as messed up as me. But despite that, I’ve come to love her just as much as I love you. Against my rational mind, I’ve lost myself in your eyes too many times and my heart yearns for both of you.”
Mathew paused as his nerves started to get the better of him. He was losing sight of his original goal and he felt that he had started mumbling too much. “I just… I don’t know what else I can say. I love you both… and I wish I could be a better person for the two of you.”
Luna held her neutral stare for a long time as she processed everything that Mathew had said to her. The act was not an easy one, for she wanted so badly to rush forward and embrace him passionately. Still, she held herself back, if only because she was slightly conflicted. It was clear that the idea of being with both Applejack and herself was an issue for Mathew, but she was not sure as to why. Personally, Luna had no reason to be upset with his decision. She liked Applejack, surely, but there was a slight tug of jealousy in her heart at the idea of sharing Mathew. Yet when she thought about it more, Luna really didn’t mind being in the equivalent of a small herd. Herds were not as common as they used to be, but nopony frowned upon the idea. It was simply that there were few individuals nowadays that fell in love with more than one partner.
Mathew, feeling that he had said something wrong, slowly deflated and he stepped away from Luna. It would be a little helpful if I could read minds… he thought as his ears drooped. He watched as her eyes narrowed slightly and he expected her to show signs of anger, but then she smirked and shook her head. Luna’s eyes then refocused on Mathew and her smirk melted into a warm smile.
“Mathew… does the idea of having both Applejack and I bother you?” she asked.
Mathew sighed quietly. “Well… it’s not something I’m familiar with in this world. Back on Earth, most polygamy was frowned upon. It just wasn’t a very common thing to have more than one partner. But that’s not the biggest reason why I’m having so much trouble with this…” he said and a new wave of sadness filled his eyes.
Luna put the pieces together in her mind and her smile faded slightly into a look of sympathy. “I know that it must pain you to think about how she will not live as long as we will. I’ve experienced the loss of friends and family. It hurts… but the memories of how we loved them and what made them special in our hearts makes up for it. And trust me when I say this; Applejack is well aware of how she will be outlived by us. It’s part of the reason why she’s been so forward recently. She knows her time is limited, so she feels she must put forth more effort in order to make the most of her life. I admire her… in a way. She accomplishes so much in so little time that I cannot help but feel envious of her.”
A small smile slowly replaced Mathew’s expression as he thought about how Applejack worked on the farm. It was true, you just couldn’t help but feel inspired by Applejack when she was out there making her life’s work bear such succulent fruit – literally and metaphorically. “Yeah… she really is something… but you’re no slouch either, Luna. Over the past few years you’ve managed to solidify your position as Celestia’s equal. You’ve even brought the Thestrals back from isolation.”
“That may be, but Applejack far exceeds what I do in a single day,” Luna conceded calmly. “Still, I do believe that we have wandered a bit off topic…”
With a gentle sigh, Mathew turned his gaze to the ground. “I suppose you are right.”
The two stood quietly for a short time while Mathew thought about his next words carefully. Eventually he settled on one question, though he did not truly feel it was the best thing to ask. Still, with nothing better to say at the moment it was all he had. He took in a slow breath and looked Luna in the eyes once more. “Luna… could you still love me even though I love another and want to be with both of you?” he asked.
Luna sighed softly and she swiftly closed the distance between them. Mathew’s eyes widened at her movement but he made no move to back away. The princess of the night paused just inches away from Mathew’s face, her deep turquoise eyes filling with her love for him. She then moved that last little bit forward and gently locked her lips with Mathews, her dark little heart beating rapidly in her chest. As the seconds passed, Mathew slowly pressed into the kiss and their passion built up. At some point, Mathew reached a hoof forward and he pulled Luna deeper into the kiss as he wrapped his wings around her body. They held onto each other for a length of time where the only thing that mattered was being just a little bit closer, feeling the other’s warmth, tasting their flavor, and inhaling each other’s scent.
Eventually they had no choice but to break away, if only so that they could breathe again. Luna, panting softly, slowly pulled away with a pleased grin on her face. “Was that an acceptable answer?” she asked quietly.
Mathew, grinning like an idiot, simply nodded. “Very much so. I hope you realize that I’ve wanted to do that for years…”
“I’m glad it was worth the wait,” Luna playfully chirped and she gave Mathew another quick peck. “But I do believe there are tasks to be done… we can continue this later,” she said and twirled around happily, flicking her tail up to gently brush against Mathew’s chest before walking away.
Mathew simply stared at Luna’s retreating form as his elation reached new heights. With a deep and happy sigh, he picked himself up to follow after his princess.
~~***~~
After their walk through the gardens, Mathew and Luna arrived in the throne room where Celestia, Twilight and Rainbow Dash awaited them. All eyes shifted to the new arrivals of the room and Celestia quickly determined something was different about Luna and Mathew. Upon a closer inspection it was clear that something had occurred between them. Luna and Mathew both wore wider smiles and they even walked closer together than usual. Not to mention, the moment Luna arrived beside her sister she was a little more exuberant in her nuzzling greeting of Celestia.
A small sly smirk slid across Celestia’s lips as she eyed Luna out of the corner of her eye. “I take it your morning has been pleasant?” she asked Luna.
Luna beamed a happy grin to her sister and nodded gracefully. “Indeed. Mathew and I had a lovely breakfast and we enjoyed a walk through the gardens afterward.”
“Was there anything else? You seem awfully pleased about something…” Celestia asked with an assuming grin.
Luna simply nodded and lidded her eyes toward Mathew. “There was one other thing… but we can discuss that detail later.”
“Indeed,” Mathew chimed in, his own grin fighting against him. Eventually he regained his composure and he looked over everypony present. “I believe it’s time we started our preparations for the first step in our quest. My first question would be; how soon will you all be ready to leave?” he asked.
Twilight stepped closer to Mathew and smiled. “My friends and I can be ready to go by tomorrow.”
Celestia nodded. “Though it would be more efficient to be able to depart in that time frame, I’m afraid it will take about two or three days before Luna and I can leave the city. We still need to appoint our stand-ins and make the proper arrangements so that no governmental issues arise in our absence,” she explained.
Mathew nodded in turn and looked thoughtful for a moment. “That should be fine. Whatever you do, don’t rush anything. We’ll set a rough departure time, but if things take longer it’s not a big deal. It wouldn’t do us any good if we save the world but plunge the kingdom into ruin in the process.”
Rainbow Dash landed gently on the floor and she lifted her hoof as if to ask a question. Mathew, slowly recognizing the action for what it was, eyed her and nodded his head to her. Rainbow cleared her throat and rubbed the back of her head lightly. “So… how many of us will be going with you, then? I mean, are the rest of us really needed? With Twilight and the princesses there would probably be enough power to get the job done… but why did you want me to be in this meeting?” she asked.
Mathew smiled broadly at the colorful pegasus. “That, my friend, is a good couple of questions. Yes, I do want the rest of you to come with us. You won’t be able to help in obtaining the first artifact, but keeping the Elements of Harmony close by would be beneficial. In a sense, I’m bringing you all to help Twilight… and you, Rainbow, get your connection strengthened to your elements. To be frank with the two of you, you’ve already started getting over what hindered you before. As time goes by, I’ll be sure to better inform the two of you, but for now I’ll be keeping some of what I’m doing a secret from you. For the time being you’ll just have to trust me.”
“As for why I brought you, specifically…” Mathew continued after a brief pause, “I wanted to inform you of your role in the next artifact quest. Once Celestia has her effigy, Luna’s will be the next one to obtain. That necklace I gave you will help you in getting it. I want you to tell me honestly…” Mathew’s eyes grew more intense as his stare bored into Rainbow’s eyes. “Can you face death for the good of the world?”
Rainbow Dash gulped nervously and she took a step back from Mathew’s piercing gaze. Her wings started to tremble as sweat beaded up on her brow. Mathew’s fierce golden eyes peered deeply into her, searching for her weakness as she fought not to run away. As the seconds passed and Rainbow struggled to find her voice, she started to notice that Mathew’s gaze held no anger or hostility. He was waiting for her to tell him what she really wanted to do. Rainbow took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Honestly… I don’t know. I’ve never been in this kind of a dangerous situation. I mean, yeah the world’s been in danger before, but I’ve never had to think about the possibility of dying. I can’t give you a real answer…” she said and her ears and wings drooped in disappointment.
Mathew moved closer and he placed his hoof against Rainbow’s chest. Their gazes locked and Mathew smiled kindly. “I understand, and that is why I wanted to ask you directly. If at any point you feel you cannot give your all for this make sure you tell me. I can always find a way to get what is needed… but your help would be greatly appreciated, Rainbow. Just promise me that you won’t force yourself to do this for me out of some pointless desire to make things up to me – or to keep up that strong appearance in front of your friends.”
Rainbow sighed softly and she looked down to Mathew’s hoof pressed against her chest. She was quiet for a few moments as she thought about what her response would be, then a small smile graced her face. “I promise that I won’t do this for those reasons. I’ll do it because it’s the right thing to do. I won’t abandon anypony just because I’m scared.”
Mathew chuckled warmly and swiftly brought Rainbow in for a hug. “That’s all I could ever ask of you. Thank you, Rainbow Dash,” he said as he gently squeezed the struggling mare.
After a few long seconds of futile struggle, Rainbow sighed and returned the hug with a grin. “You’re welcome, big guy.”
With one last little squeeze, Mathew let Rainbow go and he looked over to Princess Celestia. “Alright then. Let me know when everything is in order. We’ll be departing for the artifact as soon as you and Luna are all set to go.”
Celestia nodded her head graciously.
Mathew gave a small nod as well before his body slipped away into shadow, leaving a few surprised ponies behind to stare at where he had just been.
~~***~~
Mathew reappeared out of a swirl of darkness, which landed him out in the gardens once more. His destination had been slightly impulsive, but for whatever reason he had wanted to see Luna’s little sanctuary once more. As the shadows receded from Mathew’s body he opened his eyes and looked around. A slight frown slowly creased his lips as he eyed the remaining blooms of the garden. Most of the gorgeous white flowers had perished over time, a simple fact that upset the new Alicorn. His golden brown eyes slowly passed over every inch of the maze’s chamber, Mathew’s frown deepening as the sad truth hit harder than he had liked. Only a fifth of the flowers remained on the once vibrantly decorated walls.
A long sigh slipped through Mathew’s nose and he shook his head sadly. Again his mind drifted to Applejack, though he did think about Twilight and her other friends as well, but most of his focus was on the apple-bucking beauty. Mathew turned his gaze to the sky once more, paying the time of day little mind as his thoughts drifted over what he thought would be an acceptable way to speak with Applejack about his feelings. He felt he had enough time… he would find a chance to tell her before they had to depart for the Effigy of Solaris.
A small smile graced Mathew’s face as he closed his eyes and let Applejack’s kind face fill his mind. Yet, despite the pleasant image in his head, Mathew could not help but feel slight trepidation at the thought of telling Applejack his heartfelt emotions for her. Luna had been accepting of the idea of letting him share his love… but would Applejack be just as open to the idea? It was an answer that he looked forward to and feared, and one that would not greet his ears for some time to come.
~~***~~
Over the next few days, Mathew spent his time practicing to use magic. Twilight had been a substantial help, as well as Luna, in helping him to hone his skills with his new horn. In his free time, he wandered the castle in search of Applejack, but fate would thwart him at every turn. Instead of finding the mare he desired, Mathew would usually stumble across one of the other Element Bearers or be pulled away to help aid Celestia and/or Luna with something.
Before he knew it, the time to depart had arrived and his chances to speak with Applejack alone had dwindled to almost impossible – much to his annoyance. Still, Mathew held out hope that there might be another chance during the trip. That was, until Celestia and Luna approached the group.
Surveying everypony present, Celestia came to a halt beside Twilight. “It would seem that everything is finally in order and we can finally depart. If everypony is ready, Luna and I will be teleporting us to a location near the old castle’s location.”
“Wait,” Applejack said. “Sorry fer interrupting, but is this effigy thing back in the old castle in the Everfree?”
“No,” Mathew answered as he cast his gaze across the gathered group. “It’s in an even older castle. Be prepared… these ruins have not been given a pleasant fate from the passage of time.”
Celestia’s ears folded back slightly as she looked to Mathew. Luna’s expression remained neutral, but the gentle flick of her ear told of how uneasy she was with the idea of seeing one of her old homes. Twilight and the others simply looked on with mild surprise, their imaginations attempting to fill in the image of what an even older castle might look like.
“In any case, you two may take over for the time being,” Mathew said as he looked to the two sisters. “I’m not familiar with mass teleportation. How do you want us to go about this?”
Celestia straitened up, her wings fidgeting slightly. “Simply gather beside Luna and myself and we’ll take care of the rest.”
Everypony closed in around the two princesses and gold and silver magic engulfed the entire group. Applejack and Rainbow shared a look of slight unease as the magic built up. Mathew looked at the mild strain on Luna and Celestia’s faces as they channeled their magic for the teleportation before he lit his horn and leant them some of his magic to ease the process, Twilight following suit immediately afterward.
Celestia and Luna smiled gratefully to the two of them before they looked to one another. Nodding in unison, their eyes flashed white as their magic swelled. In the next moment, everypony present became wrapped in the spell and the teleportation took hold. A flash and a gentle pop later found the entire group standing at the base of a plateau in the middle of a vast sandstone desert.
“Welcome to the San Palomino Desert…” Mathew announced casually.
Twilight’s eyes widened and her head whipped around to face Mathew. “You mean to tell me that there’s an entire castle out here? Why hasn’t anypony found such a place out here already?”
Celestia’s ears sank slightly as she looked off into the distance. “Because it was hidden from the rest of the world. Luna and I do not have fond memories of this place…” she trailed off as a particular sight caught her eye.
Twilight turned her attention to Celestia, a look of curiosity on her face, but she stopped her question before she could ask it as she saw the expression on her mentor’s face. Celestia’s eyes were lost in the past as she looked at a large hill of sand and there was a deep sadness, regret even, within her eyes.
“This place was once a lush forest,” Luna stated softly. “The castle we seek… it was more of a temple. The ponies of this region had taken a liking to Celestia and they worshiped her as a goddess. At the time, we had simply wished for a place to stay out of the rain, but it somehow grew into the local tribes coming together under Celestia’s guidance. This region’s ponies thrived for a time…”
“Um… what happened to the ponies? If you don’t mind my asking…” Fluttershy asked quietly.
Mathew started to walk forward as he answered. “They grew too obsessive over Celestia and Luna. The once united tribes then broke apart as they tried to gain more favor with the princesses. Jealousy, gave birth to hatred and eventually the tribes went to war with one another. The end result… was Celestia panicking and trying to stop the war.”
As everypony fell in step behind Mathew, Twilight’s curious mind started to formulate a question, one that slowly started to bug her the longer it festered in her head. Eventually she could stand it no longer and she opened her mouth. “So, what does the Effigy of Solaris have to do with this place then? And why is it a desert now?” she asked.
Mathew glanced over his shoulder at the purple Alicorn, his face stoic. “The Effigy was Celestia’s attempt at harnessing the power of her sun. It was meant to store and redirect solar energy to be used to enhance crops during winter months, as well as to create a localized dome of warmth – essentially making it a massive magical heater fueled by life-giving magic. Unfortunately… it became a huge mana bomb instead. If you want exact details, you should ask Celestia, but it’s a touchy subject for her so I advise against it.”
Twilight looked over at Celestia to confirm, but again her voice failed her at the sad expression on her mentor’s face. Though Twilight did want to know the exact details behind the event of the past, she dared not press for answers. It was bad enough that she had to see such a regretful look in Celestia’s eyes. The group continued the rest of their trek in silence.
After an estimated twenty minutes had passed, Mathew came to a halt as his head lifted up in alarm. Celestia and Luna also seemed to sense something as well as they came to a stop beside him.
“It’s here…” whispered Luna.
“Indeed… it’s been so long since I’ve felt this magic,” Celestia said just as quietly.
Everypony else perked up in slight apprehension. Mathew took a few short steps forward until a wall of magic shimmered in front of his muzzle. He immediately stopped and eyed the surface of the barrier. Celestia walked over to stand right beside him as he examined the magic. “It’s been nearly two thousand years, but the barrier my sister and I erected is just as strong as it was then. It will take a great deal of time and concentration to dispel this.”
Mathew let a brief chuckle slip through his grin as he eyed the barrier’s surface. His horn lit up with a pale blue aura for a moment before deep shadowy wisps flicked out to mix with the blue. The length of his blue ethereal mane increased and it became more mist-like as little dots that resembled stars seemed to pop up within it. Before anypony could question him about the shift in his appearance, or what he had planned, Mathew lunged forth, impaling his horn through the wall of the barrier.
A low groan resounded through the air and the ground seemed to vibrate with the rumble of an unseen power. Then, like watching a shimmering dome of rainbow sand collapse in slow motion from the point where Mathew had punctured it, the barrier fell apart to blow away in the gentle breeze. Needless to say, everypony present was shocked.
Mathew lifted his head, a pleased smile adorning his face as he turned back to the group. “Shall we?” he asked casually.
Multiple gasps stripped Mathew of his smile and he looked around to see shocked expressions on everypony’s faces. He cocked an eyebrow at them. “Okay… what’s the matter?”
Luna stepped forward, eyeing Mathew’s face critically for a few moments before a small smirk slid across her lips. “It would seem that your abilities have been drastically increased from three years ago, but you seem to have also taken on some of mother’s traits as well,” she said calmly.
Mathew’s brow inched up a little more. “What makes you say that?” he asked.
“Because you look a little like her right now,” Luna answered with a kind smile.
Mathew’s gaze lowered to the ground for a moment as he thought, then a small smile of his own graced his face. He chuckled lightly as he looked back up into Luna’s eyes. “Well, it’s not a bad look. In any case, this is only temporary since I merely borrowed some of Nightmare’s power, it’ll fade shortly. Let’s get going.”
Luna nodded, an action that was mirrored by her sister, while Twilight, Rarity and Fluttershy simply looked on with mild curiosity. Pinkie simply watched everything with an odd little grin on her face, though every now and then she’d pause as if she was feeling something. Applejack looked on with as neutral an expression as she could muster while she tried to keep her emotions in check. She desperately wished that there was a way to speak with Mathew at some point, preferably in private.
Rainbow Dash, on the other hoof… she watched Mathew’s every move from that moment. Her body was tense, but not from a sense of fear like before. No, this time she was experiencing a rush of excitement. Not only had Mathew just accomplished something monumental in the blink of an eye, but nopony else seemed to have noticed the cool way that his eyes had shimmered turquoise as he had looked down. It had been a long time since she had felt so enthusiastic about something, and Mathew’s potential magical feats were actually making her feel giddy with anticipation. Hay, he was even starting to make her think that there really was hope for saving everypony and that everything would be okay.
The group proceeded to follow Mathew past the edge of the former barrier, now nothing more than dust on the wind. As they walked, Twilight and Rainbow Dash were the first to notice the odd rocky spires in the distance and voice their curiosity.
“Hey… what’s with those funny lookin’ towers over there?” Rainbow asked.
“Yeah, they don’t look naturally formed. What are they?” Twilight inquired as well.
Celestia’s ears sank slightly and her wings fidgeted by her sides. “Those are what is left of the many monoliths that once decorated the temple. There once stood over twenty of them all around the structure… to only see three of them is a little depressing. What I find most curious however, is that there is no sign of the temple itself…” she replied softly.
“Indeed,” Luna agreed. “There should be more of the old temple still standing. Why is it not visible from here?”
Mathew sighed just loud enough to get attention before he looked over his shoulder at the two sisters. “I told you before… time has not been kind to this place.” His eyes then turned to Celestia. “And I should warn you, this is not going to be an easy thing for you to face. The results of what you did will be revealed soon… I hope you’re prepared to see what your previous ambitions left behind,” he said before he turned his gaze back to what was in front of him.
Celestia swallowed nervously before she looked ahead to where the old temple once stood. She knew that when Luna and she had left this place that it was not the best thing to do. At the time, however, she had been too focused on gaining more power to ascend into the heavens to confront Nightmare Moon. Looking back on it… she had been far too foolish in leaving behind the aftermath of her panic attack. A feeling of shame slowly started making itself known in her gut the closer they got to the ruins.
Silence followed for the rest of the trek to the old temple grounds. As they all approached, it became painfully obvious what Mathew had meant about time being cruel to the temple. Nothing was left of the building, except for a very large crater where the stone had collapsed and sunk in. However, when the group finally reached the rim of the hole, the reason why everything had fallen within it revealed itself.
Where there should have been a mountain of rubble, stones upon stones of broken and crumbled temple blocks, there was an empty hole. At the bottom of this hollowed out portion of earth, glowing and pulsating in a violent swirl of light and raw power, was what was left of the Effigy of Solaris. The uncontrolled and fully released energy was truly a fearsome sight to behold. The way it spun and still continued to carve away at the earth around it caused such a shrill and piercing sound that it almost sounded like the world was screaming in agony.
“We’re running out of time,” Mathew said as he started to spread his wings. “With the barrier gone, there’s nothing to stop that magical ball from sinking further into the earth. It’ll dig itself too far if we don’t act soon. I estimate that we only have an hour to accomplish our task. Are you three ready?” he asked and he looked to each princess.
Celestia gulped, doing what she could to get over the shock of seeing what she was responsible for, but she nodded nonetheless. Luna steeled herself quickly and nodded firmly. She was more than prepared to end the destructive streak of something she had allowed to go unchecked for so long. Twilight, carefully eyeing the swirling ball of magical death, slowly took in a steadying breath. She stared at the solar magic for a few long moments as she wrestled with her fear of the unknown power she was about to try and help contain. Eventually, Mathew’s patience ran out and he looked to Celestia and Luna.
“If she can’t find her answer, then it’s just up to us. Let’s go,” he said. With a powerful stroke of his wings, Mathew lunged forth over the edge of the pit and he glided down.
Rainbow Dash instantly shot up into the air as she watched Mathew descend. “Wait! Since when can he fly!?” she practically shrieked.
A small smile graced Luna’s face as she watched Mathew glide effortlessly down. “If I had to guess… it’s one of the benefits of having my mother’s knowledge at his disposal. He’s familiar with the concept of flight, but I think he’s only gliding down for the moment. Knowing how to fly and having experienced flight are two different things. In any case, you all stay here. Tia, let us follow him and end this once and for all.”
Celestia nodded and flapped her wings, launching herself forward. Luna followed right on her heels for a moment before they broke off to set up in a triangular formation with Mathew. Twilight slowly stepped forth. Her ears were splayed back against her head as she watched the other three Alicorns land unsteadily against the side of the pit. She continued to stare in trepidation as they lit up their horns in near unison before three beams of magic erupted forth to slam into the vortex of the effigy.
The instant Celestia, Luna and Mathew’s magic made contact with the effigy’s, a wave of raw power blasted outward. The force of the blast was nearly enough to send all three Alicorns to the edge of the pit but they managed to endure the brunt of it, the two sisters flinging up protective shields around themselves, and held strong against the Solaris. Twilight and her friends were not as lucky. Rainbow was sent flying through the air and everypony else was knocked over. Luckily, Rarity had reacted quickly enough and she had caught Rainbow in her telekinesis before the prismatic mare could crash into one of the remaining stone pillars.
Appljack recovered hastily from her spot on the ground and she whipped her head around to stare down into the pit. Celestia and Luna seemed to be holding their own as they channeled their magic, much to Applejack’s relief, but it was the sight of Mathew that made her heart stop for a moment as the color drained from her face. Mathew’s appearance had taken on a sinister edge. His golden eyes were alight with a golden glow and fangs had emerged to dig into his lower gums as he grit hit teeth in a silent snarl. His mane and tail had also taken on a deeper blue and had started to really resemble Nightmare Moon’s. What stole Applejack’s breath away however, was the jagged pieces of sandstone that had peppered his chest, causing multiple streams of blood to flow down his chest and neck.
Celestia’s gaze widened slightly as she, too, noticed Mathew’s state. “Mathew! Are you alright?” she called over the roar of the magic.
Luna’s eyes drifted over and she nearly lost her focus on her magic.
Mathew simply gave Celestia a quick nod. “I’m fine! Don’t lose focus!” he yelled back.
Celestia opened her mouth to reaffirm that Mathew was really okay, but she paused as she saw wisps of light blue mist start seeping through his wounds. Within moments the shards of stone were pushed out of his flesh and his injuries had begun to heal rapidly. A wave of relieve circulated between the two royal sisters and they redoubled their efforts.
Applejack sighed in relief as well, glad that Mathew had not been put in a life threatening situation yet. Then her ears snapped back against her head and she turned an angry glare toward Twilight. The lavender Alicorn had slowly pushed herself up while everypony else had gotten back on their hooves swiftly. A look of shock and a slightly vacant pair of purple eyes told Applejack that Twilight was in the middle of an internal conflict about the situation. Without missing a beat, the farmpony was up in Twilight’s face.
“Gosh darn it, Twilight! Git ahold of yerself! They need your help!” Applejack said firmly, shaking Twilight’s shoulder.
Twilight’s eyes focused on her friend instantly and her ears sank against her head as she backed away from Applejack slightly. “I- I can’t! Do you have any idea how unstable that magic is? The slightest miscalculation and it could cause a massive explosion that would kill all of us. This is way above my capabilities!” Twilight said shakily.
Applejack’s eyes hardened and she clenched her jaw tightly before she pulled her hoof back and slapped Twilight. “If you don’t do anything to help then things’ll be a heck of a lot worse! We’re tryin’ ta save the world, Twi, not just ourselves or our friends. Ah don’t know about you, but ah’ll be damned if ah’m just gunna sit around and let that happen. Nightmare and Mathew can’t do this on their own, and Princess Celestia and Luna can only do so much right now. Fer Celestia’s sake, Mathew was just impaled by stones from that blast just now!”
Twilight’s pupils shrunk at that and her mouth hung open.
“He’s alright now, but it could have been a lot worse if he didn’t have that healing power. Twi… please help.” The fire in Applejack’s eyes slowly died away as her heart finally registered how fearful she was of losing Mathew again.
Twilight’s ears somehow managed to clamp closer to her head as she looked away from that devastated look in Applejack’s eyes. “What could I possibly do to help them? Compared to Celeatis and Luna… even Mathew… what could a weakling like me do to save the world? This isn’t the kind of thing somepony who was rejected by the Elements is meant to be a part of,” Twilight whispered in a trembling voice.
Applejack’s anger flared up once more, only to die just as quickly. She looked at her friend long and hard as she saw the inner turmoil wreaking havoc within Twilight’s heart. It had truly been a devastating blow for the purple Alicorn when she learned that the Element of Magic had refused Twilight. Applejack’s gaze lowered to the ground and she let out a defeated sigh. “If you can’t help then ah guess we’re all doomed. Twilight… ah know that you think that you failed us when you used the elements on Mathew. But we’ve told you countless times we forgive ya. We don’t blame ya fer it. We still believe in ya, Twi. Ah know you can help. You can help save Equestria… you can save all of yer friends. You can save everypony if ya try, Twilight.”
Twilight reluctantly looked back to Applejack. She thought about her friend’s words, though they really didn’t do much in changing how she felt about her ability in the current situation. Her mind drifted lazily back to all of their past experiences. From the very first day that they had been united in friendship and faced off against the Nightmare Moon version of Princess Luna, to the time they had been tested in their bonds against Chrysalis, to when their friendship had nearly been destroyed when Discord had corrupted each of them. The more Twilight thought about the past, the more she realized that each time she and her friends had saved Equestria it had strengthened their bonds of friendship. Together they had become stronger and more united as a team, growing closer and closer in heart and spirit.
Slowly, Twilight’s ears began to lift from her head as realization dawned on her. After being tested by such powerful foes in the past, Twilight and her friends then had been separated when they had gone up against King Sombra. That had been the first time that Twilight had thought that everything rested solely on her shoulders, only to be surprised when victory had come from her placing her trust in her friends, namely Spike. The evil King had been beaten because she had placed her faith in one of her most trusted friends. Later on, everypony had placed their trust in her when Tirek had taken over Equestria’s magic. Trust…
Twilight closed her eyes as she thought about that word. Right now, Applejack trusted her, believed in her. Twilight’s eyes slowly opened again and she looked around. Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash all had warm smiles on their faces as they looked at Twilight. They also trusted her… they believed in her. Twilight’s mind then brought forth the throne room shortly before they all had departed, when Celestia and Luna had called a brief meeting to let everypony know that the arrangements had been completed for their departure.
Mathew had shown up shortly after the sudden summons. Twilight had arrived just a few minutes beforehoof, making it so that the room had all four Alicorns present. With things finally in the process of moving forward, Twilight had started to get to thinking about the scale of the coming task. The last time she had been in Mathew’s presence had been in the last meeting when he had talked with Rainbow Dash about her role in the next artifact quest. At that time, Twilight had wanted to ask Mathew the same question that Rainbow had asked. Why was she so important in getting the Effigy of Solaris?
Seeing an opportunity to ask, Twilight had cleared her throat and asked Mathew that very question. Mathew had given Twilight an odd look for a moment before a gentle chuckle had escaped him as he smiled at her. His answer now rung with more meaning in Twilight’s mind as she remembered his words. “You’ll know when the time comes. Just know that you are more important than you may realize, but it’s for the most valuable of reasons. It’s why you were the Element of Magic’s bearer.”
Suddenly, Twilight’s body was engulfed in a lavender light and her body was lifted into the air. Warmth, familiar and caring, spread through her entire body as she was lifted higher into the air. The memory of what she felt the very first time the spark of friendship coursed through her came to the surface of her mind. With that memory came her decision, she had trusted her friends back then and they had trusted her in kind. Now Mathew had placed his trust in her… and she now knew that she could trust him because he had done exactly as he had promised. Mathew was her friend… and friends were always there to support each other.
Twilight’s body glowed brighter in that instant and her form darted forth toward the pit. She arrived at a point directly above the effigy’s magical vortex and the light coating her body popped and vanished, revealing her in all her glory as the Princess of Magic. Her eyes glowed with power, leaving a trailing vapor of light lavender from them as magical regalia made of a glittering display of every colored magic covered her chest and hooves, complete with a crown that held the six symbols of all the Elements of Harmony. An aurora of dark blue, streaked dazzlingly with purple and light pink, cascaded from her as her mane and tail took on the ethereal properties of true Alicornhood as well.
Charging her horn quickly, Twilight inhaled deeply before she let loose her battle cry and sent a beam of lavender magic strait down into the effigy’s power. The reaction was almost instant as Twilight’s magic practically took control of all the present magics beneath her. Celestia and Luna’s eyes widened as their control over their own magic was taken over. Mathew broke into a large grin and he chanced a quick glance up at the reinstated bearer of the Element of Magic. He hastily returned his attention to the slowing vortex of the effigy.
“Celestia! Move in and get ready to take possession of the Solaris!” Mathew called out.
Celestia grunted with a firm nod and she leapt into the air with a flap of her wings. Fighting against the wind, the solar princess made her way to the edge of the swirling magic. Several long seconds passed as she held herself poised and ready to take back the effigy.
“Alright, Twilight, Luna, let’s finish this!” Mathew bellowed loudly and he pushed forth even more of his power into stopping the effigy’s magic.
Twilight followed Mathew’s lead and let loose another cry as she pushed with all she was worth to gain control of the powerful magic below. Luna grunted firmly as she tapped into more of her magic as well. The resulting effect was the three beams of silver, purple and light blue growing into massive columns of power, slamming into the effigy’s magic with incredible force. The vortex around the Effigy of Solaris shrunk down and came to a stop, revealing the heart of the anomaly.
In an instant, Celestia shifted her magic. Instead of a suppressing beam, she turned her spell into a telekinetic one. She took hold of the heart of the Solaris and in that moment time seemed to stand still as the ancient power reconnected with its long absent owner. Before anypony could blink, the Solaris magic expanded, canceling out Twilight, Luna and Mathew’s magics before it darted into Celestia’s chest.
Celestia gasped as the power of her sun merged with her. Her eyes lit up a pure white and her head arced back as the magic fused within her. She held her position in a silent scream for a brief few seconds before a streak of brilliant yellow became a part of her ethereal mane and tail. Once the new color spread all the way to the flickering tip of her mane the light faded from her eyes and she gasped for air as her body went limp, but before she could fall to the ground, Mathew’s magic wrapped around her body and kept her aloft.
Luna quickly flew down to her sister’s side. “Tia! Are you okay?” she asked worriedly.
Celestia did her best to smile for Luna as she took a few steadying breaths before answering. “I’ll be fine, Lulu. I was not expecting the power of the Solaris to do that. Aside from feeling full to the brim with magic, I believe I’m alright. I just need a few moments to calm my breathing down some. That was quite the intense experience.”
Luna visibly relaxed, though there was still some tension in her wings as she hovered beside Celestia. The two were soon joined by Twilight as she descended from above to see to her mentor’s condition. Mathew simply stood in his spot on the side of the pit and watched the scene from afar.
Looks like Celestia was truly prepared to take back what was once hers. I was a little worried for a moment there… Mathew thought.
“Though I was also a little wary of the turn of events, I have to say that I’m very proud of her accomplishment this day,” Nightmare replied quietly. “This was the more difficult artifact to obtain, correct?”
Yes. Luna’s will not be as dangerous, but it will still hold some risk to everyone involved. With what you and I were able to pull off with this encounter, I think we can ensure their safety, Mathew answered with a small smile.
A feeling of relief filled both Nightmare and Mathew as they continued to observe Celestia and Luna. A quiet chuckle soon filled Mathew as he gently shook his head. It’s a little weird seeing them like they’re my own kids.
Nightmare simply laughed as she realized Mathew’s situation. It was a little odd for her as well to share in Mathew’s emotions toward her daughter. Still, she could easily overcome the awkwardness every time she saw how Luna smiled for Mathew. Nothing was more important to her than seeing Luna and Celestia happy.
~~***~~
A few hours later found the group all resting around a campfire. Both Twilight and Celestia had experienced the draining effects of their new powers. Where Celestia was simply fatigued as her body adjusted to the Solaris’s magic coursing through her, Twilight had suffered the equivalent of a caffeine crash after her magical transformation. Luna and Mathew had used up a considerable amount of their magic as well, so they had decided it best to recover their strength before heading back to Canterlot in the morning.
Most of the group had settled down and were sleeping soundly beside the crackling fire, but there was one who was still awake. Mathew’s gaze slowly wandered across the starry sky above as he contemplated how he would handle the next step in their quest for the next artifact. Luna’s old weapon, Isolation, was a halberd made of shadow magic and part of the heart of a fallen star. From what Mathew had seen in his visions, the weapon had not taken its separation from Luna well. After Luna’s banishment, Isolation had to be sealed away due to its unbridled rage. Several of Celestia’s ponies had perished from its rampage.
Another smaller detail that had been brought to Mathew’s attention was the fact that the last time the weapon had been used, some of the tainted magic from Luna’s Nightmare form had seeped into it. Over the thousand plus years since then, Isolation had been slowly corrupted into a creation of anger and jealousy like its owner. By now, there was very little doubt that Isolation would not recognize anyone and it would try to seek revenge. Mathew knew that it would not be a simple feat in subduing the halberd and that death could be a result if somepony made a wrong move.
With sleep currently evading him, Mathew sighed silently and he slowly stood up. He cast his gaze over the rest of the group. A warm smile crossed over his face as he saw Twilight and her friends all huddled together in a little pile of loving friendship, each of them smiling contentedly as they slept. Mathew’s smile turned more caring as he looked over to see Luna and Celestia sleeping with their heads laying across each other’s backs. It was a cute scene.
Mathew’s gaze flicked back over to Twilight and company and his eyes locked onto the little smile on Applejack’s face. He stared at her for a time, letting his mind drift back to the more pleasant times he had spent with her. Yet again I’m left standing by, unable to tell her how I really feel, he thought sadly.
The dark Alicorn slowly turned away and walked into the darkness of the night. Mathew had no real destination in mind as he walked. His hooves came to a stop when the flicker of the campfire was just a small ball of light in the distance. His eyes looked up to the moon. There was only a quarter of the moon left in the sky; just enough to illuminate the barren desert around him to see little outlines from the small sandy hills and rocks that decorated his surroundings.
All was quiet for a time as he enjoyed the peace of the night. Mathew’s ears swiveled around when he picked up the faint sound of sand squishing beneath hooves as somepony approached. He turned his head slowly and saw the outline of an earthpony mare wearing a Stetson hat walking toward him. A small smile creased Mathew’s lips. “Shouldn’t you be asleep,” he whispered.
Coming to a stop a short distance away, Applejack smirked and shook her head gently. “Ah could ask ya the same thing. What brought you so far out here?” she asked quietly.
Mathew looked back up to the moon, the smile slowly fading from his lips. “I was thinking about the next step.”
The two sat quietly for a time, the only sound coming from the gentle breeze that brushed over the hills. Then Applejack took a few more steps to stand beside Mathew.
Mathew’s heart started to beat a little faster as his nerves started to turn edgy. This was the chance he had been waiting for. He could finally tell her his feelings. Mathew pulled his gaze away from the moon and looked to Applejack only to pause as the end of his muzzle came to a stop just inches away from hers. In the dim light from the moon he could see the brilliant glimmer from her emerald eyes as she gazed deeply into his. Mathew swallowed thickly as he struggled to decide on whether or not he should just kiss her.
“Applejack… I-”
Before Mathew could say anything more, the dim glow of the moon suddenly vanished and a pulse of power rocked the world. Mathew and Applejack’s eyes darted up to where the moon once was, only to widen in shock and growing horror. Where the arc of creamy white used to be was a growing orb of pale orange as the moon slowly became full. Within moments, Celestia, Luna and the rest of the group came to a skidding halt around Mathew and Applejack.
Luna quickly looked to them with mild curiosity before shifting back to being serious. “Mathew! What is happening?” she asked urgently.
All eyes turned to Mathew, but his gaze was firmly locked upon the moon, a look of burning anger slowly etching its way across his visage. Steadily, everypony else followed his gaze up. As if on cue, another pulse rocked the world and a deep rumbling laugh began to fill the air from afar. As the laugh continued to build in strength, cracks started to form on the face of the moon above until it appeared that the moon had become a splintered pane of glass. The laughing suddenly came to a halt, and accompanying the silence came a faint rumble from above as blood red tendrils sprouted out of the moon’s center.
There was nothing anypony could do as the moon they all knew and loved shattered into dozens of fragments. As the broken moon drifted apart, Mathew grit his teeth as a part of him died along with it and tears streamed down his face. A silent howl of agony slipped out of him as he fell to his knees.
“Hello again, my little daughters…”