//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: The Beginning of the End // Story: Amil's origin // by ShinxX //------------------------------// Sirens sounded across the castle, causing Amil to jump out of her bed as fall onto the floor. The steps of ponies running outside of her dormitory made the floor shake violently. She opened the door to see Fengari ushering the Lunar guard outside. She ran over to him against the flow of ponies. “What's going on?! It's still daytime!” She asked in panic. “That's the thing, Amil. It's still night! Luna didn't lower the moon!” Fengari’s words shocked Amil. She looked out the window and to her amazement, the moon and stars were still out. She stared outside in awe until she saw a flash of orange light being chased by a flash of blue light across the sky. “What was that?!” “It's Nightmare moon and Celestia, they're fighting! We need to go give her as much support as possible!” Fengari explained. “Nightmare moon?” Amil questioned. “That's what Luna goes by now. We must support her! The night shall be eternal!” Amil was shocked by the statement. An eternal night.. what they always wanted, it was happening. Luna, no, Nightmare moon was bringing them their dream. She felt a surge of energy flow through her, like a foreign entity came into her body and wanted control. It was a good feeling. “I'll go get my armor!” Amil ran to the lockers and retrieved her armor. About 5 minutes later, she joined Fengari on the battlefield. As the two princesses fought in the sky above, the now dubbed Lunar republic fight with the Celestial empire. Amil and Fengari fought side by side, fending off every attack that came their way. Suddenly a spear flew directly at Fengari without him knowing. Amil saw it and turned to block it with her own spear. When she faced the pony who through it, her heart sank. In bright gold armor stood a pony she never thought she would face in war. Moon Glider, Amils mother, quickly grabbed her spear and faced her daughter. As soon as she realized that her daughter was the one that blocked the spear, she froze. “Amil..” “Mother…” They stood for moments, staring at each other, enemies of a war. To them, it seemed like he entire war halted, as if it were only them standing in the fields. Water filled Moon Gliders eyes. “Why are you doing this?” She asked her daughter. “Why are you fighting us? You're a bat pony..” Amil responded. “My job is to protect the ponies of Equestria.. we need the sun as much as we need the moon..” “No!!” Amil yelled, “the moon is our caregiver! Our breath of life! It's light will guide us to greatness!” She stood her ground, standing tall in the face of her mother. “Don't make me do this.. don't make me fight you..” Moon Glider begged, clinging onto a sliver of hope that her daughter would see the error of her ways and leave the Lunar republic. “If you won't join us… then you are my enemy..” Amil said, getting into a battle stance. Then a tear ran down Moon Gliders cheek. She saw the shadow in her daughter's eyes. “The Tantibus has taken over her as well…” Moon Glider mumbled through her tears. She forced herself to take up a battle stance against her daughter. Then the battle truly started for Amil and Moon Glider. After a moment, Amil lunged at Glider with full force. Glider was ready with her spear and blocked the incoming attack. Amil turned her hoof and swung her spear the other way, hoping to make a connection. However, Moon Glider was aware of this and ducked her head. This move left Amils torso exposed. There was nothing she could do to block any attack Moon Glider initiated. This could be the fatal blow, and usually she would deal that blow. But she hesitated. While they were enemies of the battle, Amil was still her daughter. She decided to use the blunt side of the spear to jab Amil, sending the young bat pony to the ground. Thinking she had dealt a blow that would immobilize her, she walked over to her daughter and stood over her with tears in her eyes. She closed her eyes for a brief moment trying to get all of the tears out. Then, Amil jumped up from the fetal position and smacked Moon Glider across the face with the blunt side of her spear. Glider stepped back, shocked that her daughter could move. So this was the power of the Tantibus. Amil began to unleash a fury of attacks on her mother. Glider blocked most of them, but lost her balance when Amil slashed at her legs, cutting her front hoof. With a yelp of pain, Glider fell to her knees. Now at the mercy of her daughter, she looked up to see a spear in her face. Amil, staring down at her mother with vengeance in her eyes. Glider stared into her daughter's eyes only with love and compassion. “Tonight, the moon will rise forever. The day is gone, and you will be too.” Amil said, ready to deal a final blow. “Do what you must..” Glider said, tears filling her eyes. She gave a slight smile as she continued, “I will always be proud of you… and I will always love you..” That last statement made Amil hesitate for a moment. The Tantibus lost control for a flicker of a second. This was her mother she was about to slay. The one who brought her up, cared for her and nourished her. The one who loved her for all of eternity. No! The only ones that truely love you are Fengari and Nightmare moon. She is nothing more than a nuisance preventing you from getting to your dream. Kill her now! Amil twitched, then pulled back her spear, ready to deal the final blow.. then, it was dealt. An explosion could be heard from the sky, before Amil could strike her mother, a glowing light came from the sky. Everyone looked up to see Nightmare Moon in the middle of the light, screaming in agony. “She used them! Celestia used the elements of Harmony!” A pony yelled out from the battlefield. “She actually used them?!” “I didn't think she'd use such drastic measures!” The elements of harmony? Thank you Celestia.. my daughter is going to be- Moon Gliders thought was interrupted by her daughter gasping. “What is happening to me?!” Amil yelled. Glider looked up to see Amil glowing, particles of light rising from her body. Gliders heart sank deeper. Her knees were weaker than before. Tears swelled in her eyes. “N-no… No no no no!” She reached out to grab her daughter, but her hooves went right through her as if she was just a hologram. “No, not her too! Please no!” Amil began to rise among with the rest of the Lunar guard. She looked around in shock. They were being sent to the moon along with Nightmare Moon. In that moment, the Tantibus lost full control of the bat ponies, and Amil watched as she was being taken away from her mother. “Mom?! Mom!!” Amil cried out. “No! Please don't take my daughter away! Don't take my Amil away!!” Moon Glider stood underneath Amil as she was being taken to the moon. She wept tears of sorrow and agony as she could only watch as her daughter, her world was being banished to the moon. “Please! No!” She screamed out. But what's happened happened. Her daughter was gone, banished to the moon along with Nightmare Moon and the Lunar Republic. She was left in tears, possibly as many tears as Celestia wept as she sent her sister away. “Amil!!”