//------------------------------// // Chapter III // Story: The Moon Rises // by Dash32 //------------------------------// Celestia quickly made her way down the corridor toward the throne room. As she got closer she could hear the bellowing laughter of her sister...or at least what used to be her sister. She enters the throne room and looks on in fright at what she sees. Luna has transformed into some kind of bat-pony hybrid, not unlike her royal guards. Except Luna is pitch black and stands much taller than her normal slight green guards. “Luna!!” Surprised, the changed alicorn spins around to see her sister glaring at her. Seeing this causes her to growl. “Luna! Listen to me! It doesn't have to be this way!” “SILENCE!! Luna is gone! I am...Nightmare Moon!! I am the only rightful ruler of Equestria! With all of Equestria at my mercy! I shall show them the true meaning of what it is like to fear the night!!” Celestia stomps a hoof in anger. “No Luna! You know why you cannot do that! It is and always be your duty to lower the moon when morning approaches! Please listen to me! You must lower the moon!!” The night princess smirks evilly. “No. No longer is controlling the moon my duty. I have only one royal duty now. To destroy you and anypony that gets in my way!!!” Nightmare Moon fires a bolt of magic at the sun goddess. Celestia manages to dodge it by mere centimeters. On instinct Celestia fires back, barely missing her opponent and blowing a hole in the roof above them. Nightmare Moon smirks. “HAHAHAHAHA!!! Is that all you've got?! I should have overthrown you centuries ago!” “Luna! I know you are in there!!! You have to fight! This thing is controlling you! This is not the sister I know and love!!” “Oh spare me your overbearing sentiment! Luna is gone! I am in control now! And once you are out of the way! I shall rule Equestria and all shall plunge into eternal night!!” Nightmare Moon fires a bolt of energy at the Sun goddess, hitting her in the left front knee. Celestia bites her lip and grunts from the pain. “I will not fight you Luna! You must fight this demon! I have faith!” “SILENCE!! I SHALL NOT HEAR THAT PATHETIC MARES NAME IN MY PRESENCE!! NOW KNEEL!!” The ruler of the Moon fires another magical energy beam at Celestia, hitting her on the right side of her breast. Celestia yelps in agonizing pain. “L-Luna!! Please! You have to fight it! Do it for me!!” “SILENCE!!” Nightmare Moon delivers a hard rear kick to Celestias muzzle, a loud sickening crack rips through the air as blood starts seeping out her nostrils. Celestia reels back, falling on her back in pain. Nightmare Moon walks up with an evil sneer. “I will ask one last time. KNEEL!!!” Fighting through the pain. Celestia glares at the demon. “I...will NEVER kneel before you creature!!” Nightmare Moon stares at Celestia with a soft glare. “Then you will die futilely trying to protect your precious kingdom!” Nightmare Moons horn glows with a deep blue aura as she aims the tip directly at Celestia's heart. “NO!” Celestia pushes off the ground with a powerful flap of her wings, shooting off into the night sky like a bullet. She just barely misses getting hit with a energy beam that demolishes the statue behind her. Nightmare Moon looks up with a smirk. “And WHERE do you think YOU'RE going?!!” Nightmare Moon takes off into the sky in pursuit of Celestia. With Nightmare Moon tailing behind her, Celestia desperately tries to dodge each shot from Nightmare Moon's horn, destroying buildings and towers along the way. In one last attempt to get a leg up on the demon of the darkness, Celestia flies high up into the air whilst charging her horn for an attack. However, this proves futile as Nightmare Moon is one step ahead, firing a dark blue beam of magic at the white alicorn, hitting her square in the chest, causing Celestia to cry out in pain. “AAAAGH!!” The force and heat of the blast sends Celestia plummeting to the earth and falls through the hole in the ceiling of the castle. Nightmare watches the scene with a grin as she screams in maniacal laughter. “Hahahahahahaha!! HAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!” Celestia hits the ground with a loud thud, knocking the wind out of her and knocking her unconscious. She remains still for a few moments before shakily standing to her hooves. She clenches her eyes shut, gritting her teeth in anger and sadness. ‘I will do whatever I have to do. No matter the cost...' Celestia takes a deep, shaky breath as tears leak out of her eyes. “Oh dear sister...I am sorry...but you have given me no choice, but to use THESE!” Charging her horn, Celestia opens the floor in the center of the throne room, revealing five crystal-like objects in several different colors. One pink. One red. One orange. One, blue. And purple. Celestia hovers over a large orb levitating the five crystals before lifting a large pink crystal shaped like a star out of the orb. Levitating the objects closer to her they start to spin around her rapidly, causing her to be surrounded by a rainbow light before she flies into the sky. This attracts Nightmare Moons attention as her eyes glow pure white and her horn begins to glow before firing a shot of magic at her. With tears in her eyes, Celestia fires a rainbow colored beam at the demon, blocking her magic. Within seconds the rainbow beam pushes the blue aura back before swallowing Nightmare Moon whole, causing her to scream in defeat. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” Seconds later the rainbow shoots further up into the sky and travels up into the moon, leaving a large unicorn head shaped crater in the moon. Celestia stares at the newly formed crater for a few seconds before letting out a series of sobs and shouting into the sky. “I-I'm so sorry sister. I had no choice. I hope that one day you forgive me...(hic) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!” Celestias screams travel through the night sky. After a few moments she lowers herself back into the castle, disposing of the crystals back into their hiding place and making her way back to her room. Upon walking down the hallway she is intercepted by the castle guards. “Princess Celestia! Are you alright?! Where is the demon?!!” She breathes deeply trying to stop her sobs. “I-It's over...the creature has been dealt with...she will not be terrorizing us anymore...now if you'll excuse me. I would like to retire to my quarters.” The guards bow before walking away. “Yes Your Highness.”