A long journey
Luna flew through the night sky the box containing the elements strapped to her body. She was exhausted from the amount of flying she had already done and needed to land soon. She scanned her surroundings trying to find somewhere safe when she noticed a faint light on the ground. She decided it best to check who if anypony was causing the faint glow.
She glided into a small grouping of trees nearby the cause of the glow. It was a grouping of campfires set up in a field. She looked around at the campsite trying to gauge who had set it up. She scanned the site seeing many ponies sleeping some of them being fillies and colts and decided that the risk wouldn’t be too great for her to make herself known. She emerged from the tree line and into the makeshift camp. Keeping quiet amongst the sleeping groups not wanting to disturb them heading towards a pair that was still awake in the centre. Big Mac rose up as he saw the pony headed towards them ready for anything but as the light shone upon the pony a voice called out to him.
“Macintosh sit down this obviously isn’t one of those things!” Mayor Mare spoke with an authority she wasn’t used to using but she needed to in this time of crisis to keep order.
“Princess Luna, What’s happening? Ponyville was attacked by these things and then when we fled to get to Canterlot we saw smoke.” Luna held a hoof up to silence the mayor then took a seat dropping the box gently onto the ground beside her then finally took a breath to calm herself. She needed to remain in control for her sister. She could mourn later.
“Canterlot has been attacked, there is wide spread destruction. From what I can guess this must have been a co-ordinated attack with Ponyville and I assume other locations as well. Celestia was killed in the attack” A small sob exited her as she said the words, Celestia couldn’t be dead she was her big sister she couldn’t leave her.
“Wait where’s ma sister?” Big Mac spoke up making Luna snap out of her depression. He was glaring at her not caring that she was the princess.
“You’re Applejack’s brother right? I don’t know where she or the other elements are, they disappeared whilst I was helping protect the castle. I am sure my sister got them out in time but we have to focus on getting to safety. My sister had a plan if ever anything like this happened, we have to head north there is a safe haven there for us.” Big Mac sat down again hoping his sister was okay.
“Right then! It’s decided, we must head north to this haven at sunrise, but for now we need to rest.” Mayor Mare spoke up trying to remain in control of the situation which Luna was thankful for. She was far too distraught to be leading ponies but she could at least advise the mayor on what to do and where to go. The three ponies laid their heads down on the ground and soon were asleep comforted by the plan they had.
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Twilight’s eyes slowly slid open, the light making her squint as her vision adjusted. It was morning. She looked around the camp, her friends were still sleeping and the fire had burned out overnight. The area was incredibly peaceful considering the mayhem that had happened the night before. At some point in her rest she must’ve come to terms with what had happened. She suddenly took a double take around the camp panic rising in her. Stargazer was nowhere to be seen.
“The bastard! He left us here after all.” She gritted her teeth her mind forming an idea of what happened. He must’ve waited for them to go to sleep then snuck off. She sat on the damp ground trying to formulate a plan but her mind kept going back to the Alicorn she had met the night before.
“You’re up, good.” She jumped as Stargazer’s voice appeared right behind her, her ears flopping back hoping that he hadn’t heard her talking.
“Woke up a bit ago thought it best to get some food. It is gonna be a long day after all.” He indicated to his back where he had a smattering of different fruits and vegetables that he had picked. The others began to stir at the noise interrupting the quiet of the forest and slowly awoke.
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After their small meal they had set off with Stargazer leading the way for them through the forest repeating what he had said to Twilight and Applejack the night before. Telling of his theories on Nightmare and of Ponyville’s destruction. Unlike the previous night he had slowed his pace so the mares could keep up with him without straining themselves but after a while Rainbow had gotten annoyed with him again as she still didn’t trust him.
“Just where exactly are we going and why the sudden change of heart huh?” They didn’t break stride as he began to explain to them his plan.
“Well we are gonna head north, I know a place that way that will be somewhat safe from all this mess going on and there should hopefully be some other ponies there.”
“Really? What is this place? What do you mean there MAY be ponies there?” Twilight chimed in, her curiosity peaked.
“Me and Celestia came up with the idea centuries ago. A refuge if Equestria ever came under threat, she would have got as many ponies there as she can. So I’m gonna get you there and then I’m gonna go do…..well….whatever I feel like doing.” Twilight’s heart jumped a little in joy at the prospect they were going to be taken somewhere not only safe but Celestia would be there too.
“Well how long is it gonna take to get there?” She could barely contain her excitement as she spoke which made Stargazer’s next words all the more horrible.
“At this pace……About 4 days. But to be honest I think it’s gonna take allot longer the route can be dangerous at the best of times.” He still retained his coldness that she was oddly coming used to. They broke out of the forest with the mares unsure of where they were until looked up to a mountain which they recognised.
“We’ll camp out up at the top tonight, there’s a cave we can use for shelter.” Stargazer had a plan for the evening which he seemed impressed with until he overheard Rarity talking to Rainbow.
“Hey isn’t that the mountain where that brute of a dragon was?”
“Yeah I think it is. I never realised the Everfree Forest went out this far before.”
“So you lot have been here before? Good, means we should be at the top before sundown which would be nice.” They jumped at being overheard by the tall pony and were also confused by his praise.
They made their way to the foot of the mountain and immediately began climbing with Rainbow flying above the group keeping at the same pace as her friends, more out of wanting to stay near Fluttershy than the request of Stargazer who she still didn’t trust. As they made their way up the mountain they found themselves at the site of the rock slide the mares caused last time they were there.
“We can’t go any further this is just bucking perfect! There’s no way I can lift any of us over that.” Rainbow spoke more to the rubble in front of them than anything.
“What are we gonna do there’s far too much to move and it’ll take forever to clear all of it or for you to take us over Star.” Twilight was trying to formulate an idea to get around the blocked path when Stargazer interrupted with an order.
“Get behind that rock there I’ll get this cleared out of the way. They dived behind the rock he had indicated and peered round the edge to see what he was doing. He took a stance in-front of the rubble and took a deep breathe. His broken horn then began to glow, faintly at first but it steadily got brighter as his concentration deepened focusing all his magical energy. Suddenly a massive blast of lightning shot out of his horn and straight into the boulders causing it to explode in a brilliant flash of light. Satisfied with his work he indicated for the others to come out, heading onward to their destination.
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As night fell the group was in the cave surrounding a fire they had made apart from one. Twilight was outside in the moonlight firing magical bolts at a sizeable rock trying to mimic Stargazer’s spell from earlier but with no such luck yet.
“Hey what are you doing?” Stargazer had slipped out of the cave as the others reminisced over their friends from Ponyville trying to raise one another’s spirits with memories.
“That spell you did earlier, it was amazing. I’ve never seen or heard of anything like that before and never heard of a unicorn with a broken horn able to use magic again. And I have read every book in the Canterlot library and have been Celestia’s personal student for years. She fired another bolt at the boulder and sighed as it simply bounced off not even leaving a scratch.
“So you’re Tia’s student? I remember back when I was taught by her.” He drifted into his mind for a moment then snapped his attention back to the present.
“Well I can tell one thing you’re doing wrong already, you’re trying to cast a spell that doesn’t exist.” Twilight looked at him more confused than ever.
“It isn’t some complex spell that you have to learn or anything in fact what I did was just a basic lightning spell. I just focused it, a little trick I picked up in my life.” Twilight was shocked hearing this.
“All you have to do is focus yourself on charging your magic, blot out everything around you. Just put yourself into a stance ready for it, the recoil you get from it is pretty intense. Also make sure you breathe in it’ll help you focus and also support your body from the impact of it now try it.” Twilight did as he said, she stretched her legs out almost as if ready to be hit by a train. She then lowered her head trying to think of the lightning spell and took a deep breathe raising her head as she did then fired the bolt at the rock. It flew from her horn knocking her to the ground and then slammed into the rock shooting a hole right through it.
“Better than what you were doing but you weren’t focused enough or ready for it. We’ll go over this again tomorrow.” He helped her to her feet then headed towards the cave.
“What do you mean tomorrow? And what do you mean, you were Celestia’s student once?” He kept walking and shot her a grin which shocked her.
“Gonna get training you lot for whatever’s out there. Like I said it can be dangerous at the best of times.” They walked into the cave to be greeted by the others
“I guess I should explain who I am shouldn’t I? Especially as it may make some of you trust me more” He looked over to Rainbow dash who was still glaring at him but he ignored it as he sat down and began his story.