//------------------------------// // Eternity Revealed (Faithful Gala part 2) // Story: Aeternitas Book II: Starry Eclipse // by Shadowlight Wanderer //------------------------------// Chapter 23 The second sun was setting when the ball began Slim, tall man was slowly making his way through the crowd. He was wearing an orange and golden cloak adorned with enormous collar around his neck. The man was obviously not in good spirits, his face indicated that he was rather annoyed. He slightly brushed his hair, always groomed back on his semi-bold head. His brown eyes searched the terrace. "Where did she went ?" he muttered. "Doctor !!!" shouted the voice from behind. The grumpy man turned around and face lightened up a bit "Over here, dear !" he gestured. A very young woman walked over to the Doctor's side. "Are you enjoying the party ?" she asked. Doctor sighed "Your joke assortment needs to be refreshed, dear. You know very well that I am not fond of social arrangements." Woman rolled her eyes "You were rather sit in this barn of yours and stare at the horizon, I know. You were like this since we were in the Academy 150 years ago." Doctor looked at the orange sky above them "I know that there is more in this world than pompatic, ridiculous rituals and debates. I am tired of the ways of our kind, Astra, I want to explore. Maybe I should "borrow" the TARDIS after all." Astra rolled her eyes once again "Not everything on Gallifrey is dull. For example..." She grabbed Doctor by the hand, dragging him to the dance floor. "I will steal you, if you steal me " she said, dancing her eyebrows. Doctor opened and then closed his mouth. "There is no need to be hasty" he said nervously" Astra laughed "Doctor, we have been dating for ten years now " "It is ONLY ten years. We are Time Lords, for Rassilon's sake ! You are fifty years older than me, still doing fine" Astra placed Doctor's hand on her waist "Don't keep the lady waiting, Doctor" she winked to him. The pair started to move slowly across the dancefloor. While dancing, Doctor focused his attention on Astra. She was one of his two oldest friends. They were both teaching at Academy and over time, their relationship developed into something more than friendship, even if Doctor was still having quite a hard time admitting it. Astra was a slim Time Lady with a long, chestnut cloured hair, masterfully twisted and curled at the ends. She had a very pale complexion, adorned with small freckles on the cheeks. Over them was a pair of deep blue, sapphire eyes, shadowed by long eyelashes. That night, she was wearing a long, red dress, bracelets on her wrists and a tiara with white-pointed-star, a kind of diamond that could be found only on Gallifrey. "It is so nice that we could be here tonight" whispered Astra. "I cannot disagree" Doctor smiled weakly "Can I pay you a visit next week ?" "Actually, I was already planning something and I wanted to invite you and the Master". Astra's gaze became cold and distant "How is he ? " she asked, playing with bracelets on her wrists A shadow passed through Doctor's face "I am indeed worried about him. There is something wrong with him, I can't say what specifically" "You should be careful, people talk that is going crazy" "Nevertheless, he is my oldest friend and I have my trust in him" Doctor looked Astra in the eyes. "I know him too" addedTime Lady " he changed a lot through the years." Doctor sighed, watching the fields of red grass beyond the Citadel of the Time Lords. "As we all, darling. As we all" **************** The kiss finally ended and Rarity inhaled deeply and said "Well, that sure was something". She stared dreamily in the space but when she focused here eyes on the spot where the Doctor was standing before, he was gone. **************** Doctor started running when he was out of Rarity's sight. That flashback was seriously too much to handle. He entered the short corridor that was leading to the toilets and lock himself in one cabin after running in. He hated to be like this. But this was unbearable. Now he understand why he felt this weird sensation around Rarity. He hide his face in his hands but he could still feel the tears dripping down through the fingers. Rarity looked almost exactly like Astra, his first and most beloved wife. The Time Lady who was the mother of his only daughter. He can still remember her face, reflecting on the ruby surface of the Moment, when he destroyed his home planet and the whole life on it. Including her. He dried his eyes and pull out a little picture of a grey pegasus with blond mane. He felt awful... like a traitor. He already travelled with Derpy and Twilight in two separate time periods, and they didn't knew about each other. That was awful enough. With Derpy he realized that maybe it is time to move on and settle in...not in one place, of course, but in a relationship. He felt so many good things when he was with Derpy and the only reason that kept him from staying with her was the natural fear of outliving her. But now, this kiss...for some reason he felt like a cheater. However, no matter how much dance with Rarity disturbed him... he didn't feel regrets per se. Something in him was also feeling warmth and comfort and the temptation to repeat everything was very strong. Rarity gave him something he thought he will never experience again. A tiny fraction of his life before the War. She was almost identical to Astra in style, personality and appearance. It was as if the Doctor saw a ghost and had a second chance... Doctor clenched his fists, got up and exit the cabin. He looked in the mirror. "Astra is dead. They all died. I... I killed them cause I had no other choice. Now it is not the time or place to think about it, I will deal with my heart later. I have a mission to accomplish and..." The sound of the opening door of the cabin and he turned around. He saw a muscular man in a black tuxedo with the red underside. His long black hair was falling on his back and his eyes glimmered in the mixture of violet and green. Doctor and King Sombra stared at each other and both growled "YOU !!!" Sombra quickly grabbed the Doctor and pressed him against the wall. "Where are the Harmony Bearers, Doctor ?" Doctor struggled to breath "What are you talking about ? I want to know as much as you do. Actually, I thought that you killed them". "I wanted to and I almost did. But I didn't get what I wanted which means that somehow they survived. And you were the only one who could save them back then. So...WHERE ARE THEY ??!!!!" Sombra roared. Doctor smirked "Better question is..." He suddenly freed himself and kicked Sombra to the floor, immobilizing him. "What do you want from them ? Why are you doing this ?" Sombra rolled his eyes "If that means that you will be less annoying before I kill you, then fine. But this means I have to speed things up " He turned into shadow and slipped through Doctor's fingers and then under the bathroom door. Doctor cursed and started running, following the Lord of Darkness. "No !!! Girls !!!" he yelled. **************** Sunset was still trying to find the Doctor. She even called the entire group to look for him. She started to be worried. And then Doctor ran into them with a full speed. "Doctor, where have you been ? I was starting to -" Sunset began the lecture but Applejack interrupted her and pointed to the Doctor. "Ah ya all right sugarcube ?" she asked the Time Lord Doctor grabbed Sunsets hand and started to drag her to the exit "Girls, there is no time. We are in a big danger. I need to get you out of here before..." The lights went out and loud screaming echoed from everywhere. But then the sound became muffled and distant "No one is going anywhere until I get my answers." Sombra snapped his fingers and Doctor and the girls found themselves in a big dome made from dull purple light. Only them and Sombra inside. Doctor shielded his companionswith his own body "Sombra, if you need answers, you can take me, you can torture me, do what you like. But spare them, please. They don't need to be involved in this." Sunset gasped "Sombra ?!!! The Sombra ?!!!" Rarity gave her a quick look to Sunset "You know this ruffian ?" Sunset scratched her head "He...he is a legend in Equestria. I heard that he was once a tyrant in a Crystal Empire and he was dethroned by the Princesses" Sombra grinned "This is correct. Now let's get to the business." The lights went out once again and when the Doctor saw the room again, the girls was on the five points of the dome, struggling with the invisible ropes. Sombra was in the middle of the room, with Sunset immobilized with his arms. Sombra summoned a dagger made of darkness and put it on her neck. "Now Doctor, tell me where are the Elements from Equestria or she gets it. I've been watching you for these two days, I know everything about your little rescue mission. I know you value the life of those you chose for companions talk if you want her to live." Doctor began to slowly approach Sombra, being careful to move slowly, in almost not visible manner "For the last time, I don't know ! If you could just tell me what do you need from them, maybe I could..." "They have something that belongs to me !!! I need to find it and retrieve it !!!" He looked around the room. "You know why I needed Daybreaker ? Because she was aware of every little ridiculous link in the chain of hatred and affection in your group. Those emotions are going to destroy your lives." He looked at Rarity "Not returned affections are very powerful. I know that unfortunately and now I am more than able to use it against you" The dim light revealed the scar on right half of Sombra's face. Doctor nodded with pity "Spike was captured by you...and escaped. You miscalculated Sombra. When dealing with dragon, never threaten the safety of his valuable possessions. Or, in that case the pony he loves. I know him well enoughthat he can crush mountains for Rarity." Sombra's eye twitched "YOU OF ALL HERE ARE IN NO POSITION OF GIVING ME ADVICE!!!" Doctor waved his hand "Oh, don't worry. I won't need to." And then Sombra was consumed by the multicolor explosion. Sunset was catapulted right on the Doctor and they fell to the ground. Sunset hugged Doctor "Thank you " she said in a broken voice, still shaking from the experience. "I am glad that you are all right but that wasn't me. Look" Doctor pointed at something behind her. Their friends were moving towards Sombra, fighting with his spell. Their bodies sparkled and glimmered "You think that we will just sit and watch ?!!! We will kick you out of this world for good" screamed Rainbow "Leave Sunset and Doctor alone" Rarity howled, still fighting with dark magic. "You are the worst party crasher ever and you have to be stopped" yelled Pinkie. "Be gone from here" added Fluttershy. Sombra was visibly shocked by their resilience and strength. He was still standing tall but he started to slowly back up. "Fools. You think you are going to stop me ?" he laughed " I am Sombra, the creator of the Dark Crystal, Lord of Shadows, Master of Darkness, Bringer of Fear, Overlord of Crystal Empire. I am the eternal sovereign of the forces of Tenebris, the only survivor of the battle of Araneyra. You simply cannot-" BONG!!! Sombra fell to the floor to reveal Applejack with the frying pan behind him. The spell vanished and she fell to the floor, sweating but smiling. "And ah'm the pissed girl with the fryin' pan who doesn't like threatnin' my friends" she said, victorious. The girls and the Doctor ran and hugged each other. "That was a good action there AJ" Sunset cheered "Yeah but where did you get that frying pan" asked Rarity "Some of us have some secrets " Applejack high fived with Pinkie. Doctor looked at Sombra. "Girls, I don't want to ruin the moment, but he isn't human. He will be up in a moment and..." Something caught his attention. The cane changed into a scythe. Doctor shivered. The Scythe of Shadow, one of the most dangreous weapons in the universe. In Sombra's hands... Doctor noticed the inscription on the edge. That language, it was the... Doctor jumped up. He understood. That was the thing that Sombra and Daybreaker were after. That scythe had to be amulet of Darkness. And that meant....trouble. Suddenly the scythe shone purple. And the world exploded in colours. When Doctor opened his eyes, he couldn't believe what he saw. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity and Rainbow Dash were levitating above the floor. Each of them in her own vortex of light and power. Rainbow Dash was consumed in a cerise light, that howled and swirled like a tornado. On her chest materialised a symbol of sword and the air current. Applejack floated in a dark green aura but her energy was more stable and slow. On her chest was a symbol of a mountain surrounded with vines. Pinkie Pie was in the middle of the pink cocoon that glimmered and reflected like the pool of water. Symbol of circle formed from waves appeared in front of her. Rarity levitated in the indigo veil, that had sparkled like there were stars enchanted in it. Her symbol looked like a balanced scales. Fluttershy's aura was orange and it surrounded her in form of the ring. Laurel wreath appeared out of nowhere in front of her. Sunset watched in amazement the light show in front of us "What is this ? Doctor..." Doctor looked like a child, his smile was a smile of pure and genuine curiosity. "Air, Earth, Water, Harmony, Silence..." He turned to Sunset "Sunset Shimmer, those are the Forces of Eternity of the Multiverse. They had to react to the magic stored in that scythe. I still can't believe I am seeing this. So it is not just a legend..." "Doctor, look" Sunset turned the Time Lord around and pointed on something. Doctor followed her gaze and sighed "Brilliant" he said, crying from joy. Over the heads of their friends were floating silhouettes of five ponies respectively over their human forms, each in coma-like stasis. "Two spirits in one body. Their essence somehow escaped and blended into their human counterparts". Doctor whispered. "So this is where they went." Doctor and Sunset quickly turned around to face Sombra, who was smiling at them. "Well, too bad for them...and for you" he raised his scythe " Since the power of Eternity is connected to their lifeforce, I had to kill them to get it out. All ten of them." Doctor's face turned into mask of horror. "Sombra, why do you want to do with the Eternal Forces ?" Sombra licked his lips "Since you already guessed what I am after, what do you know about this Forces ? Why one may want them to himself ?" Doctor's eyes widened "No !!! This is senseless !!! Even if it was possible, no living creature can have so much power within !!! You will burn !!!" Sombra spit on the ground with his purple blood. "We shall see !" He formed a sphere of dark magic between his hands and aimed on the spot between floating Elements of Harmony "That will suck all of your life force nicely. Don't worry, it will be so painful that you won't feel a thing" he giggled and threw the sphere. Sunset felt the need to run andsomehow deflect the sphere. But then, Doctor screamed "NO!!!!" and she saw his screwdriver flashing so brightly that she had to cover her eyes. The sphere of light turned from purple to white and when it hit the floor, it grew into a massive black hole. Elements were sucked in a moment "Impossible !!! Doctor, you will pay for this !!!! When I will gain the Eternal Power, I will personally erase you from existence. I swear it now !!!". Sombra screamed as he teleported away. Doctor quickly pulled Sunset to his sight, holding her firmly in place "Doctor, where are the girls ? What did you do ?" Sunset tried to scream through to howling wind created by the hole. "I saved them !!!" Doctor screamed back. Sunset sighed in relief. That was good. "Now what ?" she asked Doctor looked at the black hole. He smiled mischievously. "Now, Sunset, we are taking a ride. Say "WHIIIIIII!!!!" "WHAAAAAAA!!!!!" Sunset screamed as the hole expanded and she was thrown in the Horizon of Events, along with the Doctor.