//------------------------------// // IV. Witness // Story: Reliquum Noctis // by ashi //------------------------------// The first emotion that Celestia registers upon waking up – although falling asleep would be a more apt term, though the realm of dreams lies somewhere between the two states – is disappointment. Disappointed, but not surprised. Many things had drifted out of her mind in the intervening span of centuries, but she still remembered how much she hated school; unlike Twilight, lessons had bored her, and she'd hated having hours of her precious day consumed with pointless trivia and minutiae. “When I'm in charge of Equestria, I'll abolish school,” she'd once said after yet another miserable exam about ancient kings and their subjects. Of course, once she was elevated to the status of princess, she'd realised that education was actually important, and she'd set about trying to improve it rather than dismantling it. Foals still complained about it, of course. Celestia and Luna's education had consisted of rigorous schooling in various aspects of magic, in addition to the fundamentals, and none was more mysterious than that of the Aisling Fearainn: that strange dimension, inaccessible to all but a few, where dreams – literally – were made. It was often remarked that, in an infinite universe if something could exist then it must exist somewhere, and nowhere was that more true than here. Think it and you could do it. If you were strong enough. It required tremendous willpower not to become lost, not to give yourself over to the delights of this world and lose your identity amongst its many temptations. Ponies touched an aspect of it while they were asleep, just enough to for their subconscious minds to play upon their most secret fears, delights and fantasies for a few hours. If they were exposed to its full scope, they'd most likely lose their minds. Luna's romantic, whimsical personality had been better suited to study of the dream realm than Celestia's more rational one, thus she was a natural choice to become the successor of their father as the Protector of Dreams. Things lurked in this dimension that, left unchecked, could so easily slip between the fragile borders between worlds. Let loose on Equestria, they would incite the sort of devastation not seen since the days of Discord and his acolytes. And I thought I had it tough hurling a flaming ball of gas into the sky every morning. That feeling of disappointment stemmed from the fact that, as she had less control than Luna did over the environment around her, it merely looked like the suite that her physical body was no doubt charmingly sprawled across while her mind took its flight of fancy. Somehow, she'd expected to see more of Luna in here, but she wasn't all that surprised: a lot of what happened in the dream world was based on your own preconceptions, and Celestia was more than a little worried by what was happening in this very room. With Luna back, Celestia dearly hoped that this realm could once again be ruled effectively; she had done her best, but it was at best a pale imitation of her sister's natural gift. In contrast to the room as it appeared in reality, here it was distinctly cold and unwelcoming, even though it showed no signs of Luna's, no, Nightmare Moon's violence; blue light – from the Moon, perhaps – illuminated the outer edges and many of the objects were familiar to Celestia, but they were also curiously muted. As if something had drained all of the life out of them. Of course, it could just be the fact that they're bad reproductions based on her memories. Still, the dull, grey paintings, pottery and assorted junk that had been collected or inherited over the years made her shiver. The centre of the room was a nothingness, however; it wasn't just that the moonlight failed to reach it, it was as if the light was being sucked into some kind of black hole. An empty void. Celestia was careful to skirt the periphery at a safe distance. Whatever that black mass was, she did not want to be pulled inside. She guessed that it was something to do with Nightmare Moon. Perhaps the form that the parasite itself took in this dimension? It made sense to her: something black and terrible sucking all of the life out of Luna's mind until it was replaced with its own darkness. The core of the black mass began to roil; sticky, snake-like tendrils lashed out in every direction, as if searching for something that was causing it harm. Celestia retreated behind Luna's unmade bed to avoid being caught in the web it had created around the room. Doubtless, she was the source of its anxiety and it was doing its best to eliminate a potential threat to it. A filthy, oil-like substance clung to everything they touched and the smell when it hit Celestia's nostrils was sickening, and she had to force herself not to gag on the pungent odour. Time passed and Celestia risked a look. The tendrils had retreated into one corner of the room, forming an inky blob; after a couple of moments, the blob began to take on a very familiar shape and it grew a couple of feet in stature. Celestia soon realised that she was looking at an onyx doppelgänger. No, not quite a copy of herself. A copy of her sister. Just as she had done a couple of days earlier, Nightmare Moon stood before Princess Celestia in all of her glory; jet black pelt, ethereal mane the colour of starlight, and glistening, pointed fangs peeking out over a muzzle cut into a cruel smile. It was difficult not to picture those teeth biting down hard on one's flesh and drawing blood. Her head and wings were clad in a similar armour to that once worn by Equestrian soldiers when the world had been a far more dangerous and untamed place. Celestia wondered if her subconscious impressions were making her appear more menacing than she had looked in reality, or was it something else at work? This version of Nightmare Moon was not as powerful as the one that she had faced in reality, that Twilight and her friends had defeated with the Elements of Harmony, yet … there was something about her. Perhaps it was that simple imperative: when backed into a corner, a wounded animal was at its most dangerous, and there was something viciously primal about that look in her beryl eyes. Without warning, a beam of light coruscated from her horn and Celestia instinctively threw a barrier up to defend herself, but the blast had not been aimed at her; instead, it ripped the roof apart and exposed the room to the outside world. What there was of it. Endless night. This was, Celestia realised quickly, what Nightmare Moon had wanted all along: an Equestria bathed in perpetual moonlight. With the naked eye alone – and despite the competition it faced from the curtain of stars and the pearlescent glow of the never-waning Moon – she could make out the ruby-red swirl of the Horsehead Nebula. A gift from the Goddess, her mother had once told her, there to remind us that ponies are one of the most special creatures in all of the cosmos. Its bloody countenance against the overriding blackness looked more like a warning than a present now. “Princess Celestia,” Nightmare Moon said, unfurling her wings to reveal the pointed spears attached to their tips, “is it not beautiful?” Even if it was only a dream, it was difficult not to be transfixed by the vista; artists struggled for years to create that one image that would be remembered, whilst Luna could reshape her canvas at will and create a brand new masterpiece every night. “Yes, it is,” Celestia eventually said, fighting to keep her tone neutral. “Luna had – has – a natural talent for this that far surpasses my own.” “Indeed. Revising the cosmos every night, and what thanks did I, did we, ever get for it? Eternal, blissful ignorance.” “That's not true,” Celestia said, shaking her head. It was useless arguing, she knew, but she also had to try. “Astronomers and astrologers for hundreds of years were inspired by what Luna did. Maybe she didn't get the appreciation that she deserved at the time, but in the present and future … things will be very different. Ponies will have a deeper understanding now of what the night has to offer, especially with Luna as its rightful protector.” Nightmare Moon favoured Celestia with a wicked smile. “I know why you're here, and I feel I ought to be upfront with you. It won't work. It's pointless for you to even try.” “Why is that?” asked Celestia blandly, wishing she didn't have to give this monstrosity her time. Taking a few steps forward, her smirk growing wider, Nightmare Moon said, “She's so unimaginably broken, your little sister. Even if I hadn't been there to give her that little push over the edge, it was only a matter of time before she would have snapped her leash and turned against you. That jealousy and bitterness that I brought to the fore is in there, even now, and like me, it will only grow in strength. It is a wound that cannot be healed, cannot be treated, and can only be allowed to fester until it destroys her.” “That's not true,” Celestia said hotly, her temper becoming almost as fiery as her words. “Oh, whether you believe me or not is immaterial. The only thing stopping her from claiming all that she desires is you. Love – that most fleeting and ephemeral of all your petty emotions – for you keeps her restrained. But love does not last. Such a thing is not meant to in this world.” “Our bonds, love, friendship, kindness, hold us together and they are not so easily broken,” replied Celestia. “I'm sorry, but you're wrong. This broken, weak pony that you are describing is yourself, not Luna.” Celestia felt an awesome clarity filling her at that moment; all of the doubt and apprehension melted away, as if it were ice turning to water under the attentions of a warming Sun. The weight disappeared from her withers and she stood upright and proud. So many villains had tried and failed to conquer Equestria, but only one had ever succeeded in driving Celestia and Luna apart, and that would never be allowed to happen again. “What do you mean?” asked Nightmare Moon, bristling at Celestia's tone. “Answer me!” Celestia closed her eyes, a half-smile forming on her muzzle as she spoke. “Luna is the strongest of us all. Years ago, she made a mistake, but the past is past. She came back to seek forgiveness, to make up for what she had done, and the depth of her character can be seen in what she was willing to do here tonight: she was willing to risk death or another period of exile to be rid of you because Equestria's safety mattered more to her than her own.” Tears rolled down her eyes and her throat became choked, but she continued to speak, “If it hadn't been for your whispering poison in her ear a thousand years ago, turning her against me, we would've faced you together. You would've been defeated without the need to banish her. You took my sister away from me and I will never forgive you for that!” “Are you trying to convince me or yourself of that?” Nightmare Moon asked coldly. “What use do I have for your forgiveness, anyway? You cannot destroy me. You can damage me, seal me away, but I will always be there, so long as your sister lives.” Even before she had finished speaking, her horn was lighting up once more, flooded with the sort of power that only came from thousands of years of hatred and misery. Celestia barely had the time to dive out of the way of the howling blast of green lightning; it shattered an ornate column behind her, and a thousand pieces of smoking rubble hurled themselves in her direction until she was peppered with tiny cuts. Staggering painfully to her feet, Celestia fired back a volley of her own, but it was much, much too slow and Nightmare Moon easily deflected it with harmlessly into the sky with a shielding spell. For just a moment, colour had returned to the world before it became a dark wilderness once more. “If that's all you've got, Princess, then I suggest that you give up now,” Nightmare Moon said, crowing triumphantly as she took to the sky, raining blasts down on Celestia who struggled to avoid them. “Don't forget, I have coexisted with your sister for more than a thousand years. Her power is mine to wield. I know the rules of this place better than you do. In here, I am the Goddess.” “No.” Nightmare Moon paused at the new, yet very familiar, voice echoing throughout the room. She looked around for the source of it, but it was nowhere to be seen. “Where are you?” “Right here.” Celestia looked up from where she lay amid a pile of rubble, pain racking her body from the multitude of small wounds Nightmare Moon had indirectly caused; standing there was Luna, but she was not the quivering wreck she had been just moments ago. Her eyes were milky white, burning with an incandescent light. “You may have shared my mind, Nightmare Moon, but you do not own it. This is my world, and I reclaim it as is my right. No longer will I share a soul with you, monster.” Unthinkingly, Nightmare Moon charged, her horn ignited. “You are weak!” “Sister, assist me.” “I can't,” Celestia replied, only barely able to stand on all four hooves. “She's right. I don't understand this place like you do.” “We must combine our powers if we are to destroy her, Celestia,” Luna said. “You must assist me.” Celestia took her place alongside her sister, smiling slightly. Even if this doesn't work, at least we got to work together one last time before the end. Amazingly, she felt her strength returning; Luna was burning so hotly, almost white-hot now, pouring everything that she into one make-or-break attack. Celestia did likewise. “Whatever happens,” said Celestia to her sister, “I'm glad to have you back.” A radiant beam of energy erupted forth from the sisters; it was every colour at once, and the oncoming Nightmare Moon had nowhere to turn to as her whole being was engulfed and vaporised by the intense blast. She unleashed a jarring wail that filled the room – even over the din of Celestia and Luna's combined attack – and soon that, too, was gone. Nightmare Moon was defeated. Luna opened her eyes; in the centre of the room, a small sphere, about the size of an apple, floated in an ungainly fashion. “Is that …?” Celestia began, not wanting to finish the question. “Yes. Reduced to almost nothing by our assault. It will take years, perhaps centuries, for her to recover, if she ever does.” Celestia made a noise in the back of her throat. “You think that we should kill her, sister?” The question was asked without malice. Without emotion of any kind, really. “In the interests of Equestria's safety, I would rather not leave anything up to chance,” said Celestia, though it disturbed her to even be contemplating such an action against a now helpless foe. A helpless foe who had done so much damage to both of us for a very, very long time. “Do you trust me?” Luna asked. “Yes.” Celestia wasn't sure what was more surprising: that she said it, or that she meant it. Yes, it had only been one day, but Luna had just so spectacularly proven herself worthy of her complete and utter confidence. “Yes, Luna, I trust you with my every fibre of my being.” With those words spoken, Luna smiled and tapped her horn against the quivering orb; for a moment, nothing happened, then it suddenly coiled itself around her horn, travelling along it, before making its way inside her head. “Luna, what did you-?” Celestia had no chance to finish her sentence before the room became scene to yet another blinding white light; when it dissipated, Luna was left standing there. Or at least, a pony that resembled Luna. She had become subtly taller, her horn had lengthened, and she had gained Nightmare Moon's ethereal, starlight-hued mane. “Whatever else she was, you were right about one thing: Nightmare Moon was a lost, broken pony seeking something to make her complete. Perhaps a few centuries of living amongst us will provide that missing connection that she sought.” “Are you sure about this?” asked Celestia, not realising that she was holding her breath, expecting those demonic fangs to appear at any moment. “I mean, won't she-?” “-She will have no power. She will be contained within a locked-off section of my mind with no way of spreading her poison to me. She will be … a passenger, nothing more. Able to witness, but not to act. She will feel rather like she's dreaming, actually.” Once again, Celestia was in awe of her sister; she had been ready to sacrifice herself, and now she was offering to be a halfway house for something that had caused her so much pain. There were no words, but she felt as though she ought to say something. “Luna-” She was interrupted by her sister throwing her hooves around her. “Thank you.” “Uh, for what?” Celestia asked. “For what you said earlier, sister,” Luna said, tears in her eyes. “Ever since I came back, I've been afraid of what you must've thought of me. Whether you hated me, whether you blamed me, for what had happened back then. Hearing what you said to Nightmare Moon gave me the strength I needed to finally accept the truth and defeat her.” She looked embarrassed. “I should never have doubted you.” “Dear sister, many things in this world are subject to change, but not ever my feelings for you,” Celestia replied, returning the embrace with both legs and wings. “In truth, it is I who should be apologising to you for ever having believed – even if it was only a momentary weakness – that you could be complicit in Nightmare Moon's destructive actions.” “Then,” she favoured Celestia with a faint smile that made her look so childlike and innocent, “you truly do not fear me?” “No, I do not. I am proud of you, Luna.” Celestia was amazed at just how light she felt all of a sudden; Nightmare Moon had hoped to divide them, to weaken Luna to the point where she'd willingly accept her again, but she had failed due to underestimating the strength of their love for each other. Nothing would tear them apart again. Finally extricating themselves from the hug, they spent a few moments in quiet contemplation; while the Nightmare entity had been contained – Celestia hoped for good this time, but she did not doubt Luna's ability to take action should she ever try to escape – there were other threats out there, and they had to be ready for them. She said as much out loud. “It does not matter what is out there, dear sister,” Luna said, placing a hoof on Celestia's shoulder. “Together, what could stand against us?”